


Walking on Thin Air

by StarLyrical



Series: Air [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Minor Barry Allen/Iris West, Minor OC/OC - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-05-19 23:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 93,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5985445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarLyrical/pseuds/StarLyrical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexa Roberts, born Alexa Iliana Reynolds. She has a lot more names to come, especially because she is partners with one Barry Allen as a CSI. She'll have some challenges to face in the coming year. The year after the particle accelerator exploded. (Also posted on FF.net - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11739960/1/Walking-on-Thin-Air).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Incident

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: I have fixed the Line Breaks and have changed the POV, to Third Person Limited. I have also written the following author's note. I have added time stamps.
> 
> A/N: This story has been resting on my head for a couple days, so it has been good for me to finally start working on it. I will try to write Ally's thoughts as italics, although I might have missed portions of these. Virtual cookies to anyone who spots the Marvel Universe reference.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has been resting on my head for a couple days, so it has been great for me to finally start working on it. I will try to write Ally's thoughts as italics, although I might have missed portions of these. Virtual cookies to anyone who spots the Marvel Universe reference.
> 
> Last Edited on 5/21: general grammar, formatting and some dialogue changes. nothing major. Some changes to dialogue between Barry and Iris at the particle accelerator.

_To understand what I'm about to tell you, you need to do something first._

_You need to believe in the impossible, can you do that?_

_Good._

_You see that white shape in the sky? The one that looks like a bird/plane/man?_

_Well it's none of those things_ —

_It's me. My name is Ally Roberts, technically Alexa Iliana Reynolds, but that's a different story._

_The red blur on the ground, running faster than the speed of sound, is my best friend, Barry Allen._

_He wasn't always fast, but he has always been running, and more than often running late._

_Similarly, I was never able to fly until that day happened._

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY BANK | December 23rd, 2013 |**

' _Where is he...?_ ' Ally asked herself, tapping her foot impatiently against the cold concrete floor. ' _I realize that we both got back late last night from Starling city, but honestly that's no excuse_.' Realizing just how heavy her equipment case was, she quickly set it down gently by her feet. Ally rubbed at her shoulder, where the case's strap had left a large imprint. That case, while a pain in her arse, contained everything she needed to be able to examine and collect evidence from any crime scene.

Unfortunately for Ally, her partner in crime, —she meant shenanigans crime, not like criminal offense crime— Barry Allen was late. Barry was known at the Central City Police Department for consistently running late. Without him present, Ally couldn't start poking around the crime scene. And today's bank robbery sure looked like a doozy.

Sighing to herself, Ally headed towards the entrance to the bank where earlier she had seen Detective Joe West, Barry's foster dad, and his partner, something Chyre, go in, hoping to find them.

Luckily, Ally ran into them not even a minute later. Joe was a good guy, he was one of the lead detectives in the police department. As her best friends' dad, he often came up to the lab to check up on Barry and Ally. His daughter, Iris, who worked at a small local coffee place called Jitters nearby, was also one of Ally's closest friends. Ally suddenly remembered that Iris had mentioned Jitters was going to start selling cronuts. She wondered if it was possible to get some on her break.

"Second Robbery this week," Detective Chyre stated, breaking Ally out of her thoughts. ' _His tone had an almost palpable amount of annoyance, or is it exhaustion,'_ Ally observed, _'and he was carrying a cup of coffee, maybe he was tired today.'_

"The teller identified Clyde Mardon as the Shooter," Joe informed the small group.

"What, oh geez, the Mardon brothers are back?" Chyre groaned.

"Not them again, seriously, they're a menace," Ally agreed.

"What we got?" Captain Singh approached the little band of three.

' _There's_ _Captain Singh.'_ Ally laughed to herself, ' _you can easily find him by the sound of his yelling, shouting, or commanding_.' Ally smirked slightly, before clearing the emotion off of her face as Joe glanced at her.

Joe looked back to the captain before explaining, "Perps took the bank, shot out the cameras, and as a chaser, killed the security guard over there. I got units kicking in doors of known Mardon brothers associates" Joe shared.

"CSI been over it?" Captain asked, making Joe and Ally share a look of ' _we've been caught_ '. Singh turned himself around to stare down at Ally, who was seven inches shorter than the captain, at five foot four herself.

"Umm, no." Joe stated at the same time as Ally started trying to cover for Barry.

"I haven't been able to look over it yet, my partner isn't here quite yet." Ally stated, as calmly as she could, staring into the eyes of her boss.

"Where's Allen?" the Captain demanded, staring down Ally and Joe. "You can't keep covering for him…" Captain Singh started to rant, but Ally's attention was already drifting to the outside of the police tape, noticing a certain tall, idiotic, and tardy CSI partner of hers wading through the crowd. "…if he's not here, I'm gonna have to carry on this investigation without him." Singh finished.

"Sorry I'm late, Captain Singh." Barry popped up just behind the Captain, ' _Thank god._ ' Ally thought.

"What was it this time, Mister Allen?" Singh sounded purely exasperated, as Ally shot Barry a glare from where she stood beside Joe. "Did you forget to set your alarm clock?" Singh asked rhetorically, barely taking a breathe before he continued, "Before you answer, I should remind you, the excuse you gave last time was car trouble." Barry looked scared for a minute, before stopping and recalling said incident. "Wanna know why that one was particularly memorable?" Captain deadpanned.

"I do not own a car." Barry answered reluctantly. Ally barely held in a snicker at the look on his face.

"He was running an errand for me." Joe declared, and Barry looked to him in shock. Ally glanced up at Barry expectantly, waiting to see if he would flub the excuse this time. "Did you get me what I asked for?" Joe asked, giving Barry a meaningful look.

Noticing Barry's hesitancy, Ally gave him a quick nudge with her foot.

"Yeah, yeah I did." Barry finally mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets and reaching for anything he could use. "I have it, right here." He held up a partially eaten chocolate bar, giving Joe an uncertain look.

From behind Joe, Ally snickered out loud at his obliviousness. In response to her 'betrayal', Ally earned a playful glare from her friend (and object of her affections).

Joe swallowed and gave Barry a hard look.

Ally barely held in a second snicker.

"I had a few bites of it," Barry concluded.

Joe jerked his head in the direction of the crime scene. Ally and Barry both nodded before pulling on their gloves and going to examine any bit of evidence left at the crime scene. The two CSI's leaned down by the tire tracks, assumedly left by a getaway car.

Barry laid down on his stomach, and Ally followed suit, her eyes immediately drawn to the imprint of the tire tracks and their super wide tracks. Ally spared a glance at Barry to see if he noticed, and heard the three distinct footsteps of Chyre, Joe and Capt. Singh approaching behind them.

"What do you think, 12 inches wide?" Ally questioned Barry.

"Yeah, super wide tires," Barry confirmed, giving a gentle, and apologetic, smile back at her.

"So 12 inches with asymmetrical tread," Ally spoke to the three men standing behind her and smiled back at Barry.

"Getaway car is a Mustang Shelby GT-500. Shelby's have a rear super-wide tire specific to that model." Barry concluded to the higher ups, getting up for a second from the ground.

"Oh, there's something else." Ally stated, getting up also, before walking to her case to retrieve a plastic evidence bag.

Barry pulled a pen out from Chyre's front shirt pocket before Ally could offer him a more disposable one. "Thanks." Barry stated, before leaning back down to scrape at the material with the borrowed pen. He brought a tiny swab of it up to his nose to smell, "Fecal excrement. Animal, I'd guess." He concluded, and Alexa held open the evidence baggy beside him for to receive the evidence, a now poop coated pen.

"My dad gave me that pen." Chrye stated, his tone flat.

Barry gave him a blank stare, still working on inserting said pen into the bag.

"Before he died." Chyre concluded.

Ally took one look at Barry, who had looked away from the man in embarrassment, and had to hold back a snicker. ' _He truly is a lovable idiot,_ ' she told herself.

Sorry." Barry stated over his shoulder, before giving his partner a grim smile.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

After Barry and Ally finished casing the evidence at the crime scene, they headed back to the police department. Joe had offered them a lift over in his squad car. Soon enough they arrived after snagging some burgers and fries from Big Belly Burger on the way. ' _The Police Department is completely and utterly gorgeous. Seriously, it's almost all marble looking stone, we have a statue of some old white dude in the front, and it's a very enviable workspace. It's one of the reasons I accepted the job, other than the fact that I love central city. It's always so sunny.'_ Ally mused to herself.

' _It's a perfect day for skydiving._ ' She stated in her head. Yes, skydiving, it had been on her bucket list for a while. It had always been a dream of hers to jump out of the same machinery that was suspected to have killed her parents, who died when she was seven, in 1997. She had received a free voucher to the facility a month ago, which had been slipped under the apartment's main door.

* * *

**THE FORENSICS LAB | |**

As soon as Ally and Barry entered the lab, they both shed their gloves and jackets as they each headed towards their desks. Barry began to pull up the files and head shots of the Mardon brothers on his computer, as Ally started getting the fecal matter sample running in the material analyzer.

About a half hour later, Ally heard the telltale thud of Iris West's high heeled monstrosities, that the other woman called her 'comfort shoes'. Ally had absolutely no idea how Iris ever walked in those.

"Kay! I am ready to see this atom smasher," Iris announced, and Barry's head immediately shot up, "smashing." Ally had almost forgot that she thought he had a crush on Iris.

"Sorry Iris, there was a shooting today." Ally started to explain, before Barry cut her off.

"Your dad needs me to process some evidence." Barry started to explain to Iris, a disappointed look taking over his face, "Which means I don't know if we're gonna be able to make it to Star Labs." Barry walked over to the map of the crime scene's area to paste sticky notes onto the surface.

"I'd stay and cover for it all, but I actually should be leaving in a little over a half-hour to get to the plane." Ally stated, Barry let out a half groan, and she immediately gave him a glare as she remembered how he didn't fully approve of her venture.

"No, no, I wouldn't ask you to do that," Iris interjected, "You told me about this when we got coffee earlier this week, I know how important it is to you." She smiled at Ally, and Ally remembered that this was why Iris was one of her best friends. "Seeing this thing turn on is like your dream." Iris began, now facing Barry, "Your sad little nerdy dream." She reached down and picked up a fry from Barry's container and started to munch on it. "Besides, I canceled a date for this."

"Hands off my fries!" Barry exclaimed, pulling the container away from Iris's reach, "Unbelievable." He walked away with the container to Ally's side of the room, still clutching his fries.

Smirking, Ally looked at him before deftly snatching a fry for herself, having demolished her own food a little over ten minutes ago.

"Every time!" Barry groaned, with a tint of playful exasperation.

To which Ally returned a cheeky smile of satisfaction. "Stress eating, right?" she asked Iris.

"Yeah, I have to finish my dissertation by the end of the week." Iris replied, wincing. Ally winced back at her. "We started selling cronuts at Jitters, I ate two today. If I don't graduate soon, I'm gonna be more muffin-top than woman." Iris finished, before consuming another one of Barry's fries.

"You look amazing," Barry insisted, his eyes barely lingering on the woman's form for longer than necessary.

Iris rolled her eyes with a little huff, making Barry turn around and go to the desk behind him.

' _I could probably lose some weight, but I just want to eat a dozen cronuts_.' Ally thought to herself, taping a finger on the bottom of her chin.

"You look amazing too," Barry stated, his back still turned to Ally, as his face flushed a little.

"That was not supposed to be said out loud…" Ally muttered feeling her face color itself, and the tips of her ears getting warm. Iris let out a giggle at her friend's reaction to her unintended statement.

"You are too adorable." Iris concluded, placing a hand on Ally's shoulder and pulling the slightly younger girl into her side. "So, what's so important about this particle accelerator anyways?" Iris questioned, as she snatched a recent copy of Science Showcase Magazine off of Ally's desk.

Barry reacted by placing his hand down on the desk, turning to face the girls and opening his mouth to explain, "Harrison Wells' work in quantum theory is light-years ahead of anything they're doing at CERN," He quickly stated, passionately.

"You're doing that thing again," Ally half sung at Barry, before glancing to Iris.

"Where you're not speaking English." Iris finished, giving Barry a teasing smile.

"Okay," Barry huffed, before moving past both girls to approach the clear whiteboard that was present in the lab. "Just imagine that," He started, a red marker in hand, already drawing a small dot in the middle of the whiteboard. "That dot is everything the human race has ever learned until this moment," he explained, before turning back to see Alexa and Iris glancing at each other again.

"Does that include twerking?" Iris questioned, a small smirk gliding across her face.

"Or the songs from Sponge-bob?" Ally contributed, a similar expression coming across her face, as she and Iris watched Barry turn back to the board and draw a circle around the outside of the dot.

"That is everything that we could learn from the particle accelerator." Barry exclaimed, pacing slowly back to the two girls.

"It's a whole new way of looking at physics. It will literally change the way that we think about everything," Ally concluded, turning to face Iris, having given up on teasing Barry for now. For doing so, she earned a grateful glance from Barry. "Libby is going to see it tonight, with some of her coworkers from Mercury. Chelsea has been obsessing over it too, but she's assigned to the ER today," she explained to Iris's look of disbelief. Libby being Ally's adoptive sister, and Chelsea being her other roommate whom she had roomed with since her first year in college.

"You two have got to get yourselves into the dating scene," Iris stated. "Maybe you two could da-"

"Hey, leave them alone, they're working." Joe commanded, cutting off Iris from finishing her sentence. He must have appeared when Ally wasn't paying attention. Iris and Ally both turned to face him.

"Hey Dad!" Iris greeted. A ding sounded from the direction of the material analysis machine, which had been examining the fecal matter sample that Ally had set up earlier. "Your thingy is done," Iris told her friends.

Barry and Ally both strode over to look at the results.

* * *

"We think the Mardon brothers are hiding on a farm," Barry began to explain, as he and Ally sat in front of the computer at the desk, the Wests' both seated behind them, "The fecal matter I found on the street, it was cow manure, which contains traces of oxytetracycline." As he finished speaking, he and Ally both looked back to find the West's identical blank stares.

"It's an antibiotic," Ally explained, watching to check that both Wests' understood before she continued, "There are only four farms in the area that still use it in their feed." She turned back to the computer to print out a list of the names and addresses.

"I bet you find a very sweet Shelby parked at one of them." Barry stated before grabbing the printed list and handing it to Joe, who gave the two CSI's appraising looks in return.

"Dad," Iris began, "seeing as how Barry solved your poop problem, how about letting him go to Star Labs?" She asked, hopefully, standing up and putting her arm around her Dad's shoulders.

"Fine, go." Joe relinquished.

"Yes!" Iris exclaimed, gathering her stuff and looping her arm through Barry's to pull him out of the room with her.

"Thank you, Joe! And you better come back alive, Ally!" Barry shouted, before crossing through the doorway.

"I will." Ally shouted back before turning to Joe, "I better head out too," Ally explained to Joe, packing up her work bag. "I've got a plane to jump out of." She finished, smiling mischievously at Joe, who groaned back at her. "See you tomorrow!" Ally exclaimed before running out of the Lab's doors.

* * *

**SKY DIVING FACILITY | |**

Ally had gotten all suited and harnessed up upon arrival to the facility. Exiting the changing area, she approached the plane designated to take her up to the drop zone. There were two women and one man standing next to the plane.

"Hi, I'm Alexa Roberts, I got trained to do a jump yesterday, and they scheduled my jump for today?" Ally inquired.

"Nice to meet cha," spoke the women standing in the center of the group. She seemed confident, and stood upright with pride, maybe she was once in the military, Ally observed. "My name is Carol Danvers, I'll be your pilot today. This is Gary Rodgers, your instructor." The man was tall and lean and he had an easy smile about him. "And this is Marie Davies. She is the paramedic, and will be present in case of any emergencies." Marie was small and waif like, and she gave Ally a gentle smile.

"Nice to meet you all!" Ally exclaimed.

All four boarded the air craft, named Zephyr, and Ally found it to be a little roomier than she had expected. Zephyr had a cockpit built for four, and a back hanger that could easily seat six.

Carol went up front to the cockpit, and gestured for the rest of the group to follow her in. She took the pilot's seat and Marie took the co-pilot's seat. "You've got a twenty minute ride until we reach drop zone, we'll drop you and head down to land ourselves, and we should make it down there before you."

"Okay" Ally nodded back at her, a look of pure excitement and anticipation blazoned across her face.

* * *

**15 minutes later**

"Alright, Alexa, you ready to go?" Gary asked Ally, before standing up himself to enter the hanger area, "C'mon follow me."

Ally followed him, and asked "So you're jumping with me or?"

"Actually the instructor from yesterday decided that you should be fine, but we will be giving you an earpiece so I can tell you when to deploy." Gary told Ally, handing her a small nude colored earpiece.

"Sounds good to me." Ally responded, slipping it into her ear.

The hanger was filled with little harness straps and places to sit. Ally smiled to herself, ' _I can't believe I actually get to do this today!_ '

Soon enough, Gary got word through Marie that the plane was about to be above the drop zone. Ally and Gary stood up. Ally reached and turned on the earpiece and slipped on the goggles that she had been given. The goggles were yellow and were meant to protect her eyes from the high speed wind.

Gary walked over to the door in the right wall of the plane and strapped himself into a harness there. "Alright Alexa, on my count, One."

Ally adjusted her harness straps, making sure that they were as tight as they were supposed to be.

"Two."

Ally swallowed as Gary held open the door for her, the wind whipping inside at their clothes.

"Three."

Ally took the few steps and jumped out into the empty sky.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Iris and Barry walked side by side down the street. Iris had threaded her arm through Barry's, much to Barry's surprise.

"So Barry, how was your trip?" Iris asked, "Did you and Ally find proof of the impossible in Starling City, or did you just make my dad mad for no reason?" she laughed at the end, smiling to herself while looking to the ground, missing the smile clearly written on Barry's face as he thought about the weekend.

"Actually, while I was away, I had a chance to think about you know," Barry started, before looking to Iris, "relationships. And well, I'm not in one," he started to stumble on his words, getting nervous, "and, you and Ally both are not in one either, and you two are my best friends, Iris."

"You're mine, too." Iris claimed, before she gestured around them, "Why else would I be here?" she stated, looking around the gathering at Star Labs.

"That's not what I meant." Barry began, "What I meant…"

Iris interrupted before he could finish, "I know what you're gonna say, Barry." She claimed, turning to face him.

"I'm not sure you do." Barry claimed, not realizing that Iris knew his true feelings.

"Even though we pretty much grew up in the same house together," Iris began "and we're kinda like brother and sister, because we're not brother and sister, it can get really" she paused to take a breath, "weird and awkward to talk to me about girls, but I just want you to know, that it shouldn't be awkward. There is nothing that I want more than for you to find the right person that totally loves and adores you for the amazing guy that you are." She finished. Barry smiled.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Barry claimed, with a smile, albeit somewhat fake.

"Aw." Iris crooned, "Aren't you glad I know you so well?" she bumped into his shoulder playfully with a smile. "Are you thinking about finally asking—"

Iris was cut off as Barry noticed that Harrison Wells had taken the stage. He and the rest of the crowd instantly began clapping. Barry could spot Libby up in the seats in front of them applauding as well. Behind Harrison Wells were many of the people who worked alongside him.

"Thank you." Harrison stopped the applause, "My name is Harrison Wells." A small woo from the crowd interrupted him for a second. "Tonight, the future begins. The work my team and I will do here will change our understanding of physics." People had taken out their phones and snapped pictures and started to record the speech. "Will bring about advancements in power, advancements in medicine, and trust me that future will be here _faster_ than you think."

The crowd applauded loudly for the inventor and orchestrator of the particle accelerator.

From in front of the crowd, a man snuck his way towards the messenger bag of one unsuspecting person in the crowd.

"Ow!" Iris West yelped as she felt a tug on her bag's strap before turning to find it removed from her shoulder and in the arms of a scrupulous thief. "Hey, my laptop!" she yelled, before telling Barry, "It's got my dissertation."

Barry instantly took off after the thief, he knew how long Iris had worked on it and how much of her grade it would decide. He pursued the thief, following him as close as he could, just to see him hop a fence. "I'm sorry!" he called as he moved around the man that was standing in between him and where the thief had ran. He kept on the thief until he almost lost him around a corner. Barry suddenly felt a force smack him in the face.

The thief had punched him with the bag.

Barry was sprawled out on the pavement, "All right, kid, you don't have to do this, all right? Just give me back my friend's bag, and we'll call it even." Barry offered, standing up and offering his hand to the thief, "Ok?" he asked.

The thief hit Barry again, this time in the stomach and ran off. Barry collapsed and tried his best not to wheeze.

"Barry!" Iris exclaimed, arriving just in time behind Barry, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Barry groaned, embarrassed.

The two watched as the thief hopped an iron fence, only to find himself in the spot light of a cop with a gun.

"Freeze! Police!" The cop commanded before closing in on the thief and taunting, "Or do you want to find out the hard way you're not faster than a bullet?" The cop lowered his flashlight to reveal the face of a triumphant Eddie Thawne.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

Inside the police station, Barry quickly chugged a small paper cup of water, exhausted from all the running he did.

Iris walked over with an annoyed look on her face to demand, "Who is that guy, and what is he so proud of? So, he caught a mugger."

"He's a transfer from Keystone. Started a few weeks ago. Eddie Thawne." Barry explained, looking up at Iris from where he sat.

Iris glanced appreciatively at the detective, "Oh, that's Detective Pretty Boy." She looked back to see Barry staring at her curiously. "That's what my dad and Ally call him." Barry rolled his eyes, "Dad says he actually keeps score when it comes to arrests." She explained before glancing back to the blonde detective, "Ally is right— He is pretty."

Barry rolled his eyes again at the thought, and looked down to his hands.

* * *

**CCPD FORENSICS LAB | |**

Barry had retreated up to the lab, he looked at the ceiling which was letting in the rain before walking over to one of the monitors and turning it on to a local news station.

"I'm Linda Park, and we're live outside Star Labs," spoke the reporter, "despite the inclement weather which is only going to get worse. The torrential downpour has in no way affected the particle accelerator, which is up and running smoothly according to Star Labs CEO Harrison Wells…"

Barry walked towards the map of Central City that he had used earlier that day, picking up an article clipping from his desk. He pulled on the string on the bottom of the map, to make the mechanism above reel the map back in. An evidence map was left in plain sight behind it. He grabbed a push pin and used it to pin the new article to the top right of the board.

The map had paper clippings of articles he and Ally had collected. All of the articles were about similar cases to that of his mother's murder and also cases that had mysterious circumstances to them.

* * *

**IN MIDAIR | |**

Alexa could hear the wind rushing past her and from her position falling from the sky, she could see the lit up space below approaching distantly.

Ally looked out to the Central City skyline to see the particle accelerator light up.

"Alexa!" Ally could hear Gary start talking. "You've got about three minutes before you need to deploy, enjoy the view. We've got word from the ground that the particle accelerator has just turned on. This plane will loop around and land there in a minute."

Ally admired the view for a while, seeing the lights go on all over town.

* * *

**FORENSICS LAB | |**

Barry touched the first article, whose headline read "Doctor Accused of Killing Wife," with the subtitle "Nora Allen Dies." He took a step back and looked up to see the second article, just as lightning and thunder rang out above him. The second article was titled "Nora Allen Murdered by Husband." Barry breathed in heavily as he looked at his father's picture. He stood staring at the picture for a little longer before he was interrupted.

"Wait, we are now being told to evacuate the facility." The TV spoke, stopping Barry in his tracks, "The storm may have caused a malfunction to the primary cooling system." Barry walked back over, setting his hands down to stare at the screen in shock. Barry wondered how Ally's drop had gone, she hopefully would have landed by now or would have been prevented from jumping because of the storm. "Officials are now trying to shut down the particle accelerator. But so far have been unable to regain…"

The power suddenly cut out, making Barry look up in time to see an explosion above STAR Labs and a shock wave spreading over the city. Barry grabbed the chain hanging from the canopy to close the fixture more securely. Noises sounded from around him and suddenly the liquid in the jars behind him on the shelf started to float up.

A shock wave, originating from Star Labs, came over him as lightning struck Barry, having broken through the canopy, and sent Barry flying into the shelves.

Barry lost consciousness as he was watered by the spills of the chemicals from the shelf. He laid there, and a tiny bit of electricity could be seen leaving from a spark and a hole in the bottom of his now scorched shoe.

* * *

**IN MIDAIR | |**

Out of nowhere, Ally felt a single rain drop hit her head. Then a downpour began, one that she found herself stuck in the middle of.

"Gary…" Ally started to ask, "Why is it raining?"

"We don't know, but you should be fine," Gary responded through the earpiece.

Ally looked over to the area of Star Labs and suddenly saw an orange cloud coming out from it. "Gary!" Ally spoke up, "I think the Particle Accelerator just exploded!" She finished with a shout.

Thunder and lightning struck from above Ally, one strand of lightning heading to the vicinity of the Police Department. ' _Barry..._ ' Ally thought, worrying about whether or not he was in there and —if he had been there— if Barry was alright.

"Hang on!" Gary shouted back, Ally was now able to hear the panic in his voice and the voices of the crew now gathered in the landing spot.

Suddenly, Ally could see the water droplets around her start to float up. Out of nowhere, Ally spotted a strand of lightning headed right towards her. And from in front of her, Ally could see an orange light coming out towards her from the particle accelerator.

"DEPLOY NOW!" Gary yelled.

Ally began to yank on the cord of her chute, but her hands were slippery because of the rain, and it was enough to prevent her from deploying the chute. Ally felt a gust of energy rush through her before everything went pitch black.


	2. The Wake-up Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of a walk through Ally's backstory. I may make updates to it in the future to suit the plot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Virtual cookies to anyone who spots a DC Comics reference. In case anyone is interested, the face claims are Zara Larsson as Ally, Karrelle Tremblay as Libby and Kristin Keuk as Chelsea.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the Flash, CW, or I Believe by Christina Perri. I do own my plot and my characters- Ally, Chelsea, the Roberts and the Reynolds.

Ally was born Alexa Iliana Reynolds, to a happy couple, Jonathan and Mackenzie Reynolds, on July 15th, 1990. She began to grow up in Coast City, while her parents worked at Ferris Airport. The two had met through their job, at a holiday party in '86 and three years later, in 1989, they got married on the anniversary of that party. Jonathan having started as a security guard, worked his way up to being the eye in the tower, clearing planes for landing and scheduling take-offs. Mackenzie had been a hardware developer, who eventually had been assigned to look over the tower's hardware and fix it whenever necessary.

When Ally was seven, her parents went to the airport one night, to meet with their boss and some of their co-workers in the control tower.

* * *

**REYNOLDS RESIDENCE - COAST CITY | November 15th, 1997 |**

The clock on the mantle read 6:40.

"Kenzie," a man in his thirties groaned to his wife, "We're going to be late, Martin said he'd never let me live it down if I wasn't on time tonight!"

"Calm down Jonny, I need to say goodbye to Alexa!" Mackenzie Reynolds hollered back. "And since when did you care what Jordan thinks?!" she questioned, before looking down at her seven year old daughter, who promptly giggled.

"Ohhhh," Jonathan Reynolds moaned, "You know how he gets, and he wants to bring his son, Hal, over to have a play date with Ally again by the way."

"Alright, go ahead and get the car started." Kenzie gave in. "I'll be down there in fifteen! Clarissa is supposed to get here in five minutes."

Jonathan walked out of the house, but Kenzie heard the car start up.

"Clarissa?" Ally repeated excitedly, her grey blue eyes sparkling with her smile.

"Yes sweetheart, she's going to be taking care of you for me and Daddy. But Daddy and I will be home by the time you wake up." Kenzie told Ally gently.

"Okay!" Ally replied, as she nodded, her small mop of blonde hair bouncing.

"You'll be a good girl, won't you now?" Kenzie tickled her daughter playfully, making the girl squeal in laughter. Kenzie stopped her tickling to allow her giggling daughter to reply.

"I'm always a good girl, though," Ally smiled at her mom, nodding her head.

"Yes, I suppose you are," Kenzie commented thoughtfully, with a playful tone.

"Yay!" Ally yipped, "That means I can have ice cream tonight…?" she trailed off, giving her mom a pleading look.

"Sure, I'll be sure to let Clarissa know." Kenzie gave in, leaning down to kiss Ally's hair. "Now, sweetheart, everything'll be alright, and your dad and I will be home again sooner than you think."

There was a knock on the door. Kenzie got up to answer it and was greeted by Clarissa, who was a junior in high school and was the Reynold's go to babysitter.

"Hey Mrs. Reynolds," Clarissa greeted cheerfully, before glancing around the woman's form to spot Ally bounding up to her, "Hello there little wisp,"

"Rissa!" Ally cried, bounding up to the girl excitedly and getting swung up into a hug from the young woman.

"Clarissa, Ally can have ice cream tonight if she wants," Kenzie looked down to see her daughter beam up at her, as Clarissa out her back on the ground. "but only one scoop," Ally let out a small groan, "And if Mr. Reynolds and I aren't back before one, go ahead and go home, I'll leave a check for you at the door." Kenzie waved a last goodbye to her daughter, before walking out the door and shutting it gently behind herself.

"Alright, little wisp, what do you want for dinner this time?" Kenzie could still hear Clarissa's voice through the wall. "Mac'n'cheese!" Ally's voice responded, gleefully.

Ally's parents never returned that night, as one of the airplanes had crashed into the control tower that night, destroying it and leaving nothing but ash behind. All eight occupants' bodies were never found. It had been a regular, clear Saturday night.

Ally woke up to an empty house the following Sunday morning. It wasn't until around lunch time that Ally's godparents, Matthew and Elizabeth Roberts called.

* * *

**REYNOLDS RESIDENCE | November 16th, 1997 |**

"Hello?" the seven year old answered the phone cautiously. Ally was cradling the phone in one hand, curled up sitting on one side of the living room's couch.

"Hello sweetie, it's your Aunty Elizabeth." A woman's voice spoke through the phone, a depressed tone hinting to the seven year old that her suspicions were correct.

"Aunty Beth… My mom and dad aren't coming back are they..?" Ally questioned, tears starting to run down her cheeks and leaking into her voice.

"I'm so sorry sweetie, we'll be there in an hour to come take care of you for a while, alright?" Elizabeth spoke mournfully.

"Okay…." Ally spoke shakily. "See you then."

* * *

Elizabeth and Matthew arrived soon enough and came with their own daughter, Libby. Libby was just five years old at the time, having been born February 17th, 1992. Libby came and slept with Ally in her room that night when she overheard Ally sniffling in the middle of the night.

* * *

**REYNOLDS RESIDENCE |** ****November 16th** , 1997 |**

Little Ally sat up in her bed, sniffling. She had just woken up from a nightmare. Ally looked up when she heard her door creak open, letting in light and revealing the small figure standing in the doorway.

"Allie-Wallie?" a small voice spoke, coming from the now open door. "Are you okay?"

It was Libby. She was standing there with her blanket and had her thumb in her mouth, her brown hair tousled. Ally had probably woken her up.

"No," Ally stammered, still crying, "Would you mind sleeping in here with me, Lib?" Ally asked, having always gone to her parents after her nightmares. But they were no longer here and she was alone. No, she was not alone, she had Lib.

Libby stumbled her way over, and Ally reached down to help her up into her bed with her seven year old arms. Once Libby was on the bed, she hugged her arms around Ally's form and the two fell asleep that way.

* * *

Elizabeth and Matthew still have a picture from that night, of Ally and Libby sleeping together, their forms clad in the blankets and Ally's blonde and Libby's dark brown hair poking out from the top of the sheets.

When Ally was little, she didn't really notice that they came with suitcases. The Roberts stayed with her in her parent's house for a week, before her parent's funeral took place that next Monday, their caskets left empty. The funeral was the saddest of those days, as Ally had to say goodbye to her best friend in the area, Hal Jordan. The two children exchanged contact information and pledged to call one another at least once a week. Almost immediately after the funeral, the family moved everything out of Ally's parent's old house, and moved Ally from Coast to Central City.

Ally and Libby thereupon grew up in the Englewood neighborhood near the State Park, and both were home-schooled by Elizabeth, in lieu of going to Carmichael Elementary.

Libby and Ally have always been close since then and the pair considered themselves to be sisters, especially after the Roberts legally adopted Ally as a gift on her eight birthday.

Ally did a lot of community classes when she was younger, she took gymnastics for a little bit when she was eight before getting fed up with the class. So Ally started taking a self-defense class instead, having fallen in love with the idea of being able to defend herself. She met Iris in one of those classes, as Joe had signed Iris up for the same kick boxing class that Matthew had enrolled Ally in.

Ally did a lot of community classes when she was younger, she took gymnastics for a little bit when she was eight before getting fed up with the class. So Ally started taking a self-defense class instead, having fallen in love with the idea of being able to defend herself. She met Iris in one of those classes, as Joe had signed Iris up for the same kick boxing class that Matthew had enrolled Ally in.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY COMMUNITY CENTER | September 29th, 1999 |**

Nine years old, Ally sat in the corner of the classroom, swinging her feet underneath her chair, watching the rest of the kickboxing class participants file in. She watched as kids came in alongside their parents, the latest one being a large African-American man and his daughter. Ally watched as the majority of the children gathered together in the middle of the room, hugging their friends.

"Hello?" a small voice spoke up next to Ally, who jumped a little bit in surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry!" The voice giggled a little bit, as the nine year old Ally looked to see the small African American girl from before. The girl's hair was tied into a big puffy bun at the back of her head. She, like Ally, was in the recommended uniform for the class. "I'm Iris West."

"Oh," Ally smiled, "I'm Alexa Roberts, but you can call me Ally." Ally introduced herself.

* * *

Ally ran into Iris rather often at the community classes, and the two became close friends, having sleepovers almost once a month. The two talked on the phone a good amount of time each week for years. Ally started to become good friends with Barry after he moved into the West's house. She tried to help Barry through his grief for his parents, although Ally knew her own parent's deaths were entirely different. She always tried to show her support of Barry's belief that the 'Lightning Man' had killed his dad. She and Barry had researched similar cases ever since they met.

Ally started Aikido at twelve and it quickly became her favorite activity for a while, she even bought a collapsible Bo staff to use for practice at home. She was good at it and continued competing in Aikido all the way through her junior year at Central City University.

Ally found some parkour videos when she turned 16, and decided to try it out. She found a secret location, the old stockyards to practice, not knowing that it would be the sight of the future Star Labs facility. She broke her arm once there, and had to call Joe to come pick her up. Joe gave her his special silent treatment after Ally told him how exactly it had happened. Luckily, she managed to get him to forgive her before trying to appease him by quitting parkour.

Ally finished her high school education in June, 2007, as did Barry and Iris. She attended their graduation ceremony, and the three of them took that night to drink in celebration. Ally never found out the full outcome of that night, and Iris claims that she also doesn't remember, and Barry specifically told Ally that he would never tell her what happened.

He actually avoided her most of that summer, she never really found out that reason either.

Barry and Ally started at Central City University that same fall, and Barry and Ally found out that they both were studying Forensic Science. Iris had decided to take a gap year and obtained a full-time job at Jitters.

Ally roomed with a girl named Chelsea Maynor, a nursing student, and the two quickly grew attached.

When Oliver Queen and Sara Lance were announced missing on the gambit in Fall of 2007, Ally found out that Chelsea grew up around the Queen family in Starling City. They had his funeral that fall break, and Ally offered to go with her new friend as support. Ally ended up running across Thea, and did her best to console the girl who reminded her of Libby.

Ally and Chelsea ended up deciding to live together the following year. Ally and Barry bumped into each other a little less their second year, as Ally had decided to complete a Psychology degree in addition to her Forensics degree. Iris quickly became a shift leader at Jitters and started doing classes at CCU part-time, going for a journalism degree.

Libby finished her high school education in June of 2009 and decided to come to CCU for a computer science degree. Ally, Chelsea, and Libby all pooled their money to rent an apartment in Chubbuck, an area just a little south of Star Labs. They got a three bedroom place, complete with three bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, patio, living room and front laundry room. They put a TV in their living room, and try to gather in the living room every so often in order to have Netflix sessions in there.

Barry, Chelsea, and Ally all graduated in May 2011, Chelsea was hired as a nurse for the ER at the Central City Hospital, Barry and Ally were both hired by the Central City Police Department as assistant CSI's and partners. Barry and Ally grew even closer throughout having to deal with Captain Singh and sharing a lab for a little over two years before the incident.

In the fall of 2012, it was announced that Oliver had been found, and Chelsea went home for a brief visit to see Oliver and the rest of her childhood friends.

Libby graduated in May 2013, with her degree in computer science and a concentration in cyber security and was immediately hired by Mercury Labs.

Barry and Ally traveled up to Starling City in December, on the 18th, and returned to Central late on the 22nd, just in time to be present for the particle accelerator to mess their entire lives up.

* * *

**STAR LABS | May 13th, 2014 |**

Dr. Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon were in a hospital set up near the cortex area of Star Labs. They were looking over the figure of one Ally Roberts. Music was playing, and Ally was beginning to wake up.

" _Cause I have been where you are before"_

"What are you doing?" Caitlin questioned Cisco harshly, having just noticed the music playing.

_"And I have felt the pain of losing who you are"_

"She likes this song," Cisco tried to defend.

" _And I have died so many times, but I am still alive._

_I believe that tomorrow is stronger than yesterday"_

"How could you possibly know that?" Caitlin demanded.

_"And I believe that your head is the only thing in your way"_

"I checked her Spotify. I mean, she can hear everything, can't she?" Cisco answered, before chewing on a twizzler.

" _I wish that you could see your scars turn into beauty"_

"Auditory functions are the last sensory faculties to degenerate." Caitlin replied in a matter of fact manner. As she spoke, Cisco began to move and lip sync away from the bed. Caitlin walked towards the computer display in the room.

_"I believe that today it's okay to be not okay"_

Suddenly their patient's hands twitched, and with a gasp, Ally sat up and yelped.

" _Hold on, hold on,'"_

"Oh, my God!" Cisco exclaimed, jumping back in shock before grabbing Caitlin's arm. Not realizing that both girls had also begun to react.

"Where is this?" Ally asked, disoriented, she had a couple sensor on her face and she could feel a few on her stomach. They were cold. There was also an IV needle in her wrist. She was dressed in a hospital gown, but she could still feel her undergarments on underneath. She saw a bag of clothes behind one of the desks.

"She's awake!" Caitlin spoke in disbelief. Her hand moving to hover over her chest in shock.

"Doctor Wells, get down to the cortex, she's awake," Cisco quickly radioed over the intercom.

Caitlin had already made her way over to check Ally's vitals. Doing her blood pressure, pulse and eye sensitivity tests, "120 over 80. Pulse is 86. Pupils are equally reactive to light." She shined a flashlight into Ally's eyes. "Look at me. Look at me." Ally groaned in protest and began to try and maneuver herself out of the bed.

"Hey, hey, just relax. Everything's okay. You're at Star Labs." Cisco tried to get Ally to remain sitting on the bed as Caitlin took her ear temperature scope and held it into Ally's ear.

"Who are you two?" Ally inquired, starting to calm down some more as she sat back down.

"I'm Cisco Ramon. She's Caitlin," Cisco introduced, "Doctor Snow."

"I need you to urinate in this." Caitlin commanded, holding up a container to Ally.

The blonde woman blinked.

"Not this second." Cisco scolded, snatching the container from Caitlin's hands.

"You're funny." Ally commented from her spot between the two.

"And you're cute." Cisco fired back.

"What exactly happened to me that night?" Ally questioned, looking between the two.

"You were in a sky diving incident, the lightning struck you before you could deploy your parachute and the matter released in the explosion of the particle accelerator hit you in mid-air." Cisco began to explain.

"Why am I not dead?" Ally asked, confused once more. "I would have struck the ground with enough force to break at least half of the bones in my body," she trailed off.

"Your rescuers said that they couldn't explain the way you landed, but you were found inside a small crater." Caitlin explained. "You've been in a coma,"

"How long?" Ally questioned.

"Five months," came the voice of Harrison Wells. "Welcome back, Ms. Roberts." He was in a wheelchair, Ally immediately took in, her mouth dropping open. "We've a lot to discuss."

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Ally stood with the three scientists above the shirtless body of Barry Allen. She had recently changed into her own clothes, which she figured were dropped off by Libby, although she did find the googles that she used when she was skydiving in the bag, and left them in there, having decided they would make a good souvenir.

Barry was in a set up similar to what used to be her own.

Caitlin had called Libby to tell her the news and was nursing her ear from the excited scream the young girl had released.

"What happened to him?" Ally asked, a tone of fear and mourning in her voice as she stared at her best friend. He had many sensors connected to his torso and to his face, and had an oxygen tube in his nose. He was also hooked up to an IV cart.

"He was in the lab when lightning struck him through the sunlight window, he's been in a coma ever since." Harrison explained.

"Why does he have abs?" Ally questioned, her gaze drifting from his face down to his uncovered stomach.

"His muscles should be atrophied but they are in a state of chronic unexplained cellular regeneration." Caitlin explained enthusiastically.

"I'll say this, we are very much looking forward to his return." Harrison declared, before wheeling to sit at the command center desk.

The four of them turned as they suddenly heard two sets of rapid footfalls coming down the tunnel. Ally looked up just in time to see dark brown hair flying beside lighter brown hair before both owners flung themselves at her.

Chelsea Maynor was tall, and was still dressed in her nurse scrubs, she held her best friend his her grasp. She was crying tears of joy at seeing the girl awake again. Her light brown hair falling to cover the sides of her face as she squeezed Ally into her.

Libby Roberts was in a similar state, but she was shorter and dressed in flats, a modest skirt, blouse and a blazer. A name tag labeled Mercury Labs hung off of the bottom of her blazer. She sandwiched herself between the two older girls and mumbled. "Thank god you're alive, Al."

"I'm sorry for scaring both of you." Ally murmured back. "I love you two."

"And we love you, but don't you dare scare us again like that!" Chelsea commanded, releasing Ally from her hold. "Thank you Dr. Wells, Caitlin, Cisco for keeping our girl alive."

Ally grumbled slightly, as she rubbed at her ear.

"You are very welcome Ms. Maynor." Harrison replied, giving the women a gentle smile. "You two may take Ms. Roberts home, but Caitlin will be in touch in order for Ally to schedule some physical therapy and check-ups."

"Glad to see you two happy again." Cisco offered, sticking a twizzler into his mouth again.

"It's good to see you two again," Caitlin added, smiling at the two girls who had been there for her after they realized that she had lost somebody. "Visit anytime you want."

"We will." Libby declared, wiping tears from her stained cheeks, smiling at the older woman.

"What do you say Ally, ready to go home?" Chelsea asked, before stepping forward to give the Star labs employees each a hug.

"Yeah, I am." Ally replied. She gathered her stuff up, stopping to give her thanks to her caretakers and to get Caitlin and Cisco's numbers so they could communicate.

"I have a feeling I'll be back here soon enough." Ally linked her arms through Chelsea and Libby's before looking at Caitlin and stating, "Let me know when he wakes up."


	3. Waiting (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will take place between when Ally woke up and when Barry wakes up. It will progress in moments with Barry from Ally's past and flashes forwards to Ally dealing with Barry not being there. This will be the first half of Ally waiting for Barry to wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have gone back and re-edited the past two chapters and have added the night Ally's parents left the house in full, also I decided to do time stamps. This chapter was brought to you by the Snowapocalypse of 2016.
> 
> updated 8/20 - changed minor things, added scene about Iris finding out Ally was awake, and Ally returning to CCPD and her seeing lab footage of Barry being struck.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Flash, 'Ed, Edd n' Eddy', Toy Story 2, nor SpongeBob. If I did I would be rich, but alas I am but a poor college student.

**CENTRAL CITY UNIVERSITY | August 21** **st** **, 2007 |**

There was the sound of a human to human collision in Riddick Hall at Central City University.

"Oh no," Ally mumbled, staring at the small mess of open binders and loose papers, once a neat pile her hands, now spread out upon the floor.

"I am so sorry," Another voice spoke, shock obvious in the masculine voice.

' _That almost sounds like…'_ Ally looked up, _'Barry!_ '

"What were you late for this time?" Ally spoke up, looking up at the slightly older boy with a light grin spreading across her face as she felt butterflies begin to swarm around in her stomach.

"Ally!" Barry exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, let me get those for you." Barry replied rapidly, before trying to hide his now pink face from the blonde by crouching down and grabbing papers and putting them in notebooks.

"It's alright, I can gather some too, you know." Ally replied, before crouching down herself, and quickly stuffing papers into her binders. There was silence for a minute before she spoke up, "Are you actually late for something again?" she asked, teasingly.

"No… Well, yes… but not really." Barry muttered.

"Oh do tell!" Ally teased, now curious.

"I'm too late to be twenty minutes early to my class." Barry mumbled, grabbing the last of the papers and standing up. "If that makes sense."

"No, no, I understand," Ally stood up, and received Barry's half of the pile, "Thanks Barry, which class is it by the way?" Ally questioned, her head tilting itself to one side, "…It isn't Intro to Forensics is it?"

"Intro to Forensics…" Barry had already started to answer before hearing Ally's last statement. "Hey, that where I'm headed!" he exclaimed, a large grin spreading across his face.

"Awesome, we can walk to class together!" Ally replied, smiling at Barry, happy to know he would be in her class. "By the way, where have you been all summer?" She asked, wanting to know why she hadn't seen her best friend since his and Iris's graduation.

"Oh, you know, here and there." Barry chuckled nervously.

* * *

**WEST RESIDENCE | May 14th, 2016 |  
**

Iris had woken up that morning, planning on working the lunch rush at Jitters and then going to Star Labs to see her two friends.

Her plans changed as later that morning, Iris had a phone call from Ally, something she only hoped would happen the past five months. She had dreamed of this happening, and the fact that the phone buzzing in her hand had the face of one of her best friends had made her drop the phone to the floor like it was a hot potato.

Iris hurried to pick the object up, not even pausing to see if the screen was cracked before she answered. "Ally?" Her voice cracked, as tears began to slide down her face.

"Iris." Ally breathed out, in relief.

"How long have you been awake?" Iris asked, before her eyes took on a hopeful gleam, "Is Barry awake too?"

"Less than a day, and no, he's still in his coma." Ally replied, her voice sore and tears evident in her voice.

"Can I come see you?" Iris questioned.

"Definitely, I'm just at the apartment." Ally offered.

* * *

**CCPD | May 18th, 2014 |**

Working up the courage to go into the police department was no easy task for Ally. It had been only four full days since she had woken up, and today, Joe had talked her into coming in to report back to work. He had picked her up from her apartment that morning, Ally had been almost shocked when she saw he was accompanied by Eddie Thawne, but remembered that she had been told that Chyre had been shot by one of the mardon brothers.

The first step into CCPD was the worst, as she and Joe traveled, with Joe's hand resting on Ally's shoulder in support, into the office space, where everyone who was there hopped out of their seats to come greet the formally indisposed CSI.

"Ally." Officer Emmeline Chang greeted, smiling at her, "It's good to have you back."

"You gave us a fright," Detective Theodore Rhodes agreed, having been one of the men that found Barry in the lab, "First Barry, then when we heard about you." Rhodes breathed out. "As soon as I heard, my heart dropped to the floor. You're the same age as my daughter, Elisa." Rhodes stated, making Ally smile softly at the man. "Thank the lord." He murmured, before coming forward to give the woman a hug.

"C'mon Rhodes, give someone else a turn." Officer Jake Grimbley joked, making the older man release the woman, as to allow her to be greeted, and or hugged, by the majority of the staff.

* * *

When the last of the staff had deemed Ally welcome back, Singh emerged from his office. "Roberts." He called out, before walking to the woman and putting his arms around her briefly. "Welcome back."

"Thanks Captain." Ally replied, slightly frightened by his behavior.

"C'mon." Singh offered, stepping back and leading her towards his office, "There are a couple of things that we should discuss."

Ally nodded.

* * *

"So, in yours, and Mr. Allen's absence, we cleaned up the lab from when his accident happened." Singh informed the young woman, "We've been sending some of the CSI work to Keystone and other low crime areas for them to work on, but it is up to you on if you want a temporary replacement for-"

"No way in hell." Ally replied, before she realized what she had said, she winced at his glare before offering, "With all due respect, I don't wish to work with anybody else. I know Barry will wake up." Ally declared, making the captain flinch at her determination.

"Can you get the work done?" Singh questioned.

"Definitely." Ally replied.

"When do you want to be back?" Singh asked.

"The twentieth?" Ally offered.

Singh nodded, before he turned behind him to reach for a small envelope containing a single dvd. He spun around to hand it to the woman.

"What is it?" She questioned, taking it from him carefully.

"The lab security footage from that night." Singh replied, his voice wary.

"Oh." Ally replied, her eyelids becoming heavy, as she stood up, the dvd in hand.

"You don't have to watch it, Roberts." Singh mentioned, as the woman began to head for the door of the office.

"Not an option," Ally nodded to the captain, "I'll see you in two days." She smiled gently at the captain before she continued, her hand just wrapping around the handle when Singh spoke once more.

"Roberts." He said. "Welcome back."

Ally nodded, before she opened the door and left, making a beeline to Joe to have him take her back to the apartment.

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | |**

Ally retreated from Joe's car and into her bedroom where she snatched her laptop from the pile of dust it had been sitting in, and opened it, turning it on while she began to fret. It couldn't have been anything too bad, could it have? Of course it could have. Was all that Ally could think about.

The laptop finally whirred into life, and when Ally unlocked the laptop she was greeted by the desktop picture of her and Barry's photo from her last birthday. The sight of it and the idea that at that point Barry had been awake and talking and there very nearly made Ally break down.

And as the DVD was pushed into the computer, and the video recorded on it began to play, Ally was drawn into silently sobbing as she watched Barry Allen's body get struck by lightening before flying backwards into a whole stand of chemicals. That stand's placement would have to be the first thing she changed.

Ally watched that video many times more, memorizing the scene and trying to rationalize to herself how anyone could have survived it.

But Ally knew one thing.

Barry would wake up.

Barry had to wake up.

And if he didn't, well, she wouldn't know what to do.

But it wouldn't come to that.

* * *

**CCPD LAB | May 20** **th** **, 2014 |**

Ally had only decided one thing since she had returned to CCPD, and that was that she **despised** being in the lab without Barry. She had only been out of her five month coma for a week, and today was the first day that she returned to the lab for work.

The minute she walked into the lab, Ally could not forget or ignore Barry's absence. Maybe, it was because she had liked Barry on and off ever since their high school years, and she finally acknowledged that those feelings were not going away when she ran into him that day at Central City University. Maybe it was because he had helped her collect her things and walked and chatted with her on their way to their 'Introduction to Forensics' course. Maybe it was because he had always been there for her as she had always been there for him. Or maybe it was just the way he smiled at her. But right now, Ally knew that Barry wasn't smiling, he was currently unconscious at Star Labs. No matter how much she liked watching him sleep —not that she would ever admit that, to herself or to Libby, who always gave her knowing looks and glances— it just wasn't the same working in the lab without Barry there.

Ally was currently in the offending room now, and sat at her desk glaring at her monitor which displayed the progress of a fiber analysis. The sample being analyzed was a piece of fabric that had been left behind at the scene of a break in at an old lady's store. The analysis was going too slow. It had been running for fifteen minutes, but it had seemed like an hour to Ally.

It was hard, readjusting to working in the lab with no Barry. Ever since they started working at CCPD, it always was **their lab** _._ Now it just felt, well, empty.

Luckily though, Ally had her friends. She had Iris, who was always willing to talk with her in Jitters, Libby, who would let Ally sleep in her room and wouldn't say a word about Ally's nightmares until Ally brought it up herself, and Chelsea, who would hug her randomly, even if it was more for Chelsea's benefit than her own. Joe was helpful too, although she knew he was still adjusting to the loss of his partner, Chyre, who had died after being shot by Clyde Mardon the night the particle accelerator went online. Joe was also adjusting to his new partner, Eddie Thawne, who Ally had recently noticed hanging around more at Jitters.

There was something else that was weird, Ally thought, leaning back in her chair. She kept noticing that her room would be perfectly neat at night, but would be in an odd state of disarray when she woke up. Almost as if a tornado had passed through or something, but it seemingly was contained to just her room. Nothing was missing and whatever, or whoever, was the cause had never woken her up. Ally had planned to have Libby set up a camera to monitor it if it happened another time that week. Ally also planned to persuade Caitlin to give her the details from her crash landing.

"Ally!" Chelsea interrupted Ally's brooding, having just entered the Forensics lab.

Ally leaned back a little too far in the chair in shock of her friend's sudden appearance and started to fly backwards before a gust of wind seemed to push the chair back to a stable position and also pushed some of the papers sitting on her desk forwards. Ally looked flabbergasted that she had not toppled over in the chair, "What just happened?" she spoke out loud.

"Gust of wind?" Chelsea offered as an explanation, although she had a similar look on her face, not believing it either.

"No, the windows are all shut and you always shut the door behind you…" Ally told Chelsea skeptically, deep concern pinching her brow as she began to move the papers back into a more straightened position.

"Freak incident?" Chelsea asked with a small smirk gliding over her mouth, before she and Ally both broke into laughter.

"Alright, enough of the new found poltergeist." Ally giggled.

"Ally!" Chelsea scolded, starting to snort a little before taking a few breaths to calm herself down. "I came to see if you wanted to get Mama Chow's with me, it's almost noon."

"Sure," Ally replied, having calmed down from her laughter. She started to pull on her coat and grab her tote.

* * *

**WEST RESIDENCE | March 29** **th** **, 2000 |**

Ally had been invited over to the West's house for dinner, Iris had called her to invite her a week ago. It was a Saturday night, and the Roberts were driving over to drop Ally off, as the three of them were headed to go catch a movie and grab dinner. Ally, nine years old, was currently sitting in the back seat giggling with Libby over something they had seen on television.

"Alright Ally, Here we are," Matthew spoke from his position behind the wheel, he pulled into the West's Driveway and put the van in park.

"We'll be back at eleven to pick you up," Elizabeth told the girl, "Now go have fun with your friend." She smiled over her shoulder at Ally.

"Have fun sissy!" Libby cheered, as Ally unbuckled herself from her seat and reached to open her door.

"Alright! You guys have fun too!" Ally replied, before she hopped out of the car and ran up the house's sidewalk and steps to ring the West's doorbell, while the Roberts pulled out of the driveway before stopping just on the side of the road.

"Ally!" Joe greeted, opening the door. He waved at the Roberts car, and from inside the car, Matthew and Elizabeth waved back at the detective before driving off. "Come in, Come in," Joe ushered the girl inside.

"Thanks, Joe." Ally replied, slipping off her shoes and leaving them by the door. She could hear feet stomping down the stairs and she turned to see who it was. "Who are you?" she asked, surprised by the sight of a small boy her age instead of her friend.

"Who are you?" The boy retorted, half sneering before turning to Joe. "I want to see my dad." He demanded.

"Son, I already said no." Joe replied forcefully before turning to Ally. "I'm gonna go call Iris down for you." Joe stated, before walking up the stairs that the boy had descended from.

"Why can't you see your dad?" Ally asked the boy, a confused look on her face. "Your Dad isn't dead, is he?" She asked, a look of sympathy crossing her face.

"No! He's in prison, but he didn't do those things, he didn't hurt my mom, it was the man in the lightning, the lightning man killed my Mom!" the boy, still standing on the stairs, declared through shouting, slightly angry with the girl. "You don't believe me! No one ever believes me!" he shouted, his shoulders slumping a little as he stared down angrier at the ground before being interrupted.

"I believe you." Ally responded, making Barry glance up at her in shock. "My parents died less than three years ago," She started, making Barry's eyes go wide, "an airplane crashed into the tower that they were in one night, but no one could explain why it crashed, and the occupants bodies were never found." Ally looked at the boy's face, which had morphed into utter disbelief. " **I believe you**." She restated.

"I'm Barry, Barry Allen." The boy relinquished, his face softening before he walked down the rest of the stairs to stand in front of her. "Thanks, I'm just not used to people believing my story." He smiled softly at her.

"I'm Alexa Reynolds, although now I guess I'm Alexa Roberts," Ally mused, "but you can call me Ally!" She declared, smiling at Barry, which caused a small smile to cross the boy's face. The peaceful moment was soon interrupted.

"Ally!" Iris shouted, running down the stairs and throwing a hug around the younger girl.

"Iris!" Ally greeted, smiling at her friend.

"Barry!" Barry half shouted, earning him a surprised look from both girls, "What?" Both girls instantly burst into giggles at his look of confusion. "What did I do?" he questioned, making both Iris and Ally laugh even harder.

Joe came down from the top of the stairs to look at the scene below him, his daughter and Ally were both on the ground laughing and Barry was staring at them completely flabbergasted.

"Alright, settle down you two." Joe commanded, a slight chuckle evident in his voice, "Apologize to the poor boy."

"Sorry Barry," Ally and Iris giggled.

"Its fine, I guess." Barry replied.

"You want to go watch TV?" Iris asked her friends, who both nodded their heads frantically. "Let's go!" Iris commanded, and all three ran around Joe's larger form to go to the couch.

"Don't go watching too much, if you do it'll make your brain into mush!" Joe shouted after the kids, before walking through the living room to the kitchen.

"Yes, Dad!" Iris replied as she and Ally settled themselves on the couch on either side of Barry.

"What show should we watch?" Barry asked the two girls.

"Ed, Edd n' Eddy?" Iris questioned.

"Eh, not my favorite show ever," Ally responded to Barry's nod, "What about Sponge-bob?" Ally asked.

"Good with me," Iris replied.

"Sure," Barry agreed.

By the time Joe came out of the kitchen an hour later, all three kids were leaning together on the couch. Ally was leaning onto Barry's shoulder, and Iris against the other shoulder, and Barry's head was resting upon Ally's head. The television was still running in front of the kids, and they were staring at it mesmerized by the episode where a talking sponge had found himself late for a bus and stuck at the bottom of a 90 degree cliff.

"Dinner's ready!" Joe called, as he set down the pot of spaghetti and meatballs at the table.

"Food!" Ally yelped, scrambling off the couch and running towards the table. She tripped on the corner of the carpet and fell down.

"Are you alright?" Iris and Barry chorused, both looking at the younger girl as they walked around her to the table and took a seat.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Ally replied, standing up and dusting off her jeans from the tumble and moved to take a seat at the table. Joe was sat at opposite from her, and Barry and Iris were on either side of both of them.

They ate quickly and Joe got the kids to clean up after themselves in return for getting Ice cream for dessert. After finishing up dessert they had all voted on watching the new Toy Story movie (Toy Story 2), and Joe was sitting in his armchair and all three kids had taken the couch, this time Ally sat in the middle with Barry on her left and Iris on the left.

Throughout the movie, any time that Ally started to sniffle, Barry would wrap his arm over her shoulder. And any time that Ally got scared, she would turn her face into Barry's shoulder. Any time Iris got scared, Ally would reach her hand over and give Iris's hand a squeeze.

All three laughed at Buzz's reactions to the shelved toys, and Iris and Ally giggled at the Barbie dolls. Joe smiled to himself about their interactions and mused to himself that they would be thick as thieves in the future.

The movie ended at approximately the same time that Matthew Robert knocked on the door. Ally left only after saying thanks to Joe for having her and receiving a hug from Iris and then Barry, but as she hugged Barry, he whispered a question to her.

"Do you think you could help me research the man who killed my mom?"

"Of course I'll help." Ally whispered back, "I'll see you next time, Barry." She stepped away from the hug and walked to Matthew who proceeded to walk with her out to the van.

"How was it?" Libby asked, after Ally had clambered into the car and buckled herself into her seat.

"I had fun, and I think I made a new friend." Ally replied, smiling to herself.

* * *

**CCPD | June 30** **th** **, 2014 |  
**

It had been a little over a month and a half since Ally woke up. She couldn't believe two things, that her birthday was coming up and that Barry was still in his coma. Her birthday was a little over two weeks away and soon she would be twenty four. She had always had Barry present throughout the past thirteen birthdays and the very idea of celebrating without him there physically pained her.

With Barry being out, she had tried to avoid the lab the last week of May, by accompanying Chelsea and Libby to check in on Oliver and Chelsea's parents back in Starling city. Oliver's mother had been killed by Deathstroke and the city had been overrun by his minions while Ally had slept.

Ally managed to get Captain Singh to give her time off and she, Libby and Chelsea stayed with Chelsea's parents in their guest bedroom. Ally managed to pay a solo visit to Oliver in the Arrow Cave and inform him and the rest of Team Arrow what happened to her to the best of her knowledge. Oliver glared at Felicity for Ally's verbal recognition of the other blonde's titles for the lair and his team.

The three girls met the aboveground version of Oliver, John, Lyla, Roy and Felicity for lunch one day. The following night Ally, Felicity, Chelsea and Libby bonded at Felicity's apartment with two very nice bottles of Sauvignon Blanc. Felicity and Ally decided to call each other to chat once a week. The rest of the time, Ally, Libby and Chelsea helped to rebuild the city some, and also pitched in to help out through Chelsea's parent's volunteer organization. It was a good trip and when Ally got back it was easier to breathe in the Forensics Lab.

It was still painful knowing that Barry wasn't there, and Ally had to keep herself from calling his name in the lab as if he was still there. Joe had come up to the Lab one day and witnessed her crying and having a slight mental breakdown at the fact that Barry hadn't woken up yet and he invited her to come to over to his house to have dinner every now and then.

Ally had made it through the past weeks by busying herself with as much work and friends as she could. Ally went to Star Labs often to visit Barry and tell him everything that she was stressed out about, and fell asleep there a night or two. She woke up to Cisco one night and found that Cisco enjoyed a lot of things as much as she did, and they started marathoning movies or the new Doctor Who series. Ally started playing Chess with Harrison a couple of times and managed to beat him half of the time. She had Caitlin over some of the time to the apartment to join her and Libby and Chelsea for their weekly Netflix and wine nights. Ally skyped with Felicity while she was in the forensics lab one day, finding out that having company in there helped her a lot. She even scared Captain Singh one of the days by delivering 5 days of CSI work to his desk at the end of one day.

Ally knew that she could survive without Barry, but she still had a few sleepless nights. She woke to the sensation of falling more often than not.


	4. Still Waiting (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter will go in a similar fashion to the earlier one. Next chapter will be Barry's return to CCPD and some of episode one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided that I will foreshadow some of Ally's powers but I will not fully reveal her powers yet as to allow a cinematic reveal although I realize that it would be easy to recognize. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I have no former aikido knowledge, and what knowledge I am using is from the Wikipedia page on Shodokan Aikido. I do not own Flash or any other CW show, nor do I own Doctor Who, Spongebob, Kim Possible or any other TV show.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for reading! Also virtual cookies to anyone who can spot the two DC-Comics references (not Flash or Arrow related).

**DRAGON'S CLAW GYM | August 6th, 2005 |**

Ally, at fifteen years old, had become a skilled martial arts student. She had joined the Dragon's Claw gym and was being taught Aikido and how to use a Bo-Staff in Bojutsu by her Sensei, Richard Dragon. She had progressed up the ranks, and was selected to be on the US Junior National Team. The gym was hosting a tournament today, and Sensei had allowed her to be the final contestant. Her rival was here today, a girl named Brenda Del Vecchio, and the two girls had competed against each other multiple times and more often than not, Brenda had been the winner.

"Alright Ally, remember, to beat her you need to focus." Richard had approached his pupil, who was wearing the traditional uniform and had her blonde hair tied back into a bun, and was standing against the barrier of the stands, looking nervous. "Like we said in class,"

"Better position, better timing, better technique," Ally interjected, smiling up at her Sensei. "I know."

"Remember your kata," Richard chided, before giving the teen a side hug and walking away to go talk to the other Sensei's who were sitting behind the judge's platform.

"Ally!" two voices shouted from behind the girl, their owners running down the steps.

"Iris? Barry?" Ally asked, "I thought you guys said you couldn't make it?" she asked before looking up to the stands and seeing the Roberts as well as Joe standing there holding a big sign saying ' **Go Ally!** '.

"No way…" Ally stammered in disbelief.

"We couldn't miss this." Iris stated, before reaching over the barrier and hugging the girl, "Besides you're leaving to go travel with the Junior National Team soon." She relinquished her hold, pulling back to smile at her friend.

"There's nothing that could have stopped us from being here, Al." Barry stated, before reaching over as well to get a hug. "You can beat her, I believe in you." He whispered in her ear.

"Thanks, Bare." Ally murmured back.

"Go get her." Barry stated out loud, before Iris pulled on his arm.

"C'mon Barry, we better take our seats!" Iris commanded, before the two of them ran back up and took their seats between the Roberts and Libby and Joe.

"I can do this." Ally stated softly to herself, before starting to stretch her limbs out.

The gym was as big as the standard basketball court and there was a mat set up in center court, consisting of a smaller square outlined by a slightly bigger one. Ally's opponent, Brenda, was on the opposite side of the gym and narrowed her eyes at the sight of the Ally's little support group.

The match would be in ' _Toshu randori_ ' style, which meant both of them would try to get the other off balance or throw/flip the other and they would have five rounds in which to do so. One point would be given for a balance break, or for making the opponent retreat out of the central mat, 2 points would be given for a full throw or lock if the one who did so lost posture and balance. And 4 points would be given for a full throw or lock, if they kept good posture and balance. If the opponent grabbed their uniform twice the other would get one point awarded to them as well.

Brenda, a strong shouldered redhead of sixteen years of age, smirked before moving from her position across the gym to go talk to her opponent. "Nice support group you got there,"

"Thanks, Brenda," Ally shot back with a slight humph.

"Is he your boyfriend, or something?" Brenda asked, the smirk not leaving her face, as she gave a quick glance upward to where Barry was sitting. Barry was watching tensely from up above and glared at Brenda, figuring she was there to unnerve Ally.

"No, he's my friend." Ally shot back, a little shakily, not daring to look behind her.

"Sure he is," Brenda spat back before turning away and walking back the way she came.

Ally let out a little huff, before taking a seat on the ground and crossing her legs. She managed to meditate for a minute before she heard footsteps come down the stairs behind her.

"Who does she think she is?" Libby's voice spoke from behind her making Ally shoot up and turn to face her sister.

"It's alright Lib, it's just competitive banter." Ally answered. "I'm ready to beat her."

"Go get 'er Ally." Libby declared, as the announcer called both Ally and Brenda to the mat. Libby ran back up the steps and took her seat between her parents and Barry.

"Was she alright?" Barry asked the young girl.

"She's fine, Barry." Libby answered. "And she's going to win this, I just know it."

Barry nodded and looked back down to the mat where Ally and Brenda had both taken their places.

"Please welcome to the stage Showden's Brenda Del Vecchio, two-time competitor on the US Junior National team, and Dragon Claw's own Alexa Roberts, who will be a first-time competitor on the US Junior National team." The announcer spoke from amidst the judge's panel. There were 3 judges to fully review the scoring and there was one referee on the mat who would observe closely.

Both girls bowed to the referee first, stood up and bowed towards each other. The referee shouted "go!" and Brenda advanced toward Ally, the two girls danced around each other, both holding their hands up, trying to not be grabbed by their opponent. Brenda made a grab and managed to pull Ally towards the edge on the mat, before Ally executed one of her own, and managed to flip the larger girl. They awarded Ally four points and the girls reset. This time after they bowed, Ally moved forwards and approached Brenda, trying to wrap an arm around the girl and pull her down, but as she did so, Brenda ducked the grab and leaned to grab the other girl's waist and managed to flip Ally over her own knee. Four for Brenda.

The next round, Brenda advanced first and managed to grab Ally's arm and force the girl's arm behind her and push her towards the floor, but Ally managed to grab around Brenda's knees and flip the girl onto the ground. Four points were given to Ally. The two reset and Brenda let out a small snarl as she stood back up. The fourth round the two danced around each other for a little bit before Brenda managed to grab Ally's arm and drag the girl around her own back to be pinned on the ground by the same arm. Four points Brenda. The two were tied when the last match began. They both circled the mat once before Brenda approached Ally and managed to trap the girl's arm in hers. Ally twisted and swung her leg out and managed to trip up Brenda and grab the other's arm and pin her to the mat.

The referee called it and pointed to Ally as the winner, both girls bowed to the stands and the judges. Ally shook hands with Brenda.

"Good job." Brenda spoke up, smiling at the girl. "I guess you must have earned your spot on the team."

"Thanks, you too," Ally replied. "I'm looking forward to competing with you." She returned the smile, before turning, "See you then!" She retreated to where she could see the Roberts and the West's waiting.

"Good job!" Libby shouted, before launching her body to hug her sister.

"Thanks Lib, but I'm a bit sweaty, you might not want to do that." Ally replied, making the younger girl relinquish her control. "What did you guys think?" Ally asked her two friends.

"That was amazing, Ally!" Iris cheered.

"You did great!" Barry added on.

"Thanks guys." Ally smiled down to the ground. "Thanks for being here."

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | August 5** **th** **, 2014|**

Ally had been out from her coma for almost three months, it had been precisely 12 weeks, or 84 days or 2 months and 23 days. But who was counting?

Oh right, Ally was. Ally had never stopped counting the minutes, the days, the weeks or the months that she could have had with Barry in her life again, it had been too long and she was being deprived of her co-worker/partner and best friend. She was currently moping on the couch, as Joe had convinced Captain Singh to give her the day off. It didn't really help, as Libby and Chelsea were out at work and she still had 4 hours to kill before either of the two would get back.

The Television was on, and Ally was constantly switching channels.

"No, started watching that with Barry, too many memories." She muttered as she moved the channel off of the faces of Matt Smith and Karen Gillian among many tin pepper shakers. "Not that either." She spoke as it briefly stopped on the image of a yellow sponge and his friend the pink star. "Nope." She spoke as it stopped on a frame of a teenage super-spy and her friend with the naked mole rat. "Alright," she gave in, as the TV finally stopped on a show that didn't bombard her with memories of Barry.

As she watched the lighthearted dancing show, Ally remembered what she had endured without him there. ' _One life changing discovery, two long days of waiting, three days' worth of berating thanks to one temperamental Captain, four restless nights, five minutes of the discovery on tape, six pestering friends (Libby, Chelsea, Caitlin, Cisco, Joe and Iris.)'_ and that wasn't even the brunt of it, she scoffed. ' _Seven minutes of pure shock.'_

She had caught Iris and Eddie Thawne kissing each other in Jitters a little over a week ago, and stood looking through the window beside the door to the café for six and a half minutes before being spotted by both. They had immediately split apart as they noticed Ally, who fled back to the CCPD Forensics Lab, only to be confronted by the two at the end of her workday. The confrontation had ended with Ally agreeing to keep it a secret from Joe and everyone else at CCPD.

It wasn't the only secret she would have to keep, she already had gained another, although she had already shared it with Libby and Chelsea, as her coming in late would not have gone unnoticed. She had started collecting things to help her with her late night activities, one such item was the yellow googles from that night. She had also amassed a small collection of bruises and other injuries.

Ally hummed along to the music on the television as she watched the couple dance around the floor. She slowly started to lose attention, and by the time that Chelsea and Libby arrived home they found the girl draped over the edge of the couch asleep. Both knew that Ally hardly slept anymore and instead of waking the woman up, they started working on dinner and whisper chatting to each other.

* * *

Ally woke up startled, and looked around herself to find that the area she fell asleep in had not been affected how her bedroom used to. She smelt something cooking on the stove and moved her head to view who was in the kitchen.

"Morning, sleeping beauty!" Chelsea chuckled at the sleepy blonde, before continuing stirring the pot of pasta.

"Glad you got some sleep." Libby spoke up from her position curled up in their smaller couch with her laptop balanced precariously on her knees.

"Me too," Ally spoke getting up and stretching her limbs out one by one, "but you could have woken me, it was my turn to cook…" she trailed off as she wiped at the small amount of drool left on her cheek.

"No need," Chelsea interjected, "You can be on clean up duty." She teased, smiling at the sight of Ally's unruly hair, she pointed at her own and mimed coming through it.

"Alright," Ally agreed as she stood in front of the couch and ran her hands through her hair. "I don't know how you two handled me being out as long as I was," She mused, looking to Chelsea.

"We didn't." Libby responded as she gave a soft smile to her sister who had turned to look at her. "That night was the worst of my life." She declared, speaking of the night the incident happened, before she returned to typing on her laptop.

"I'm sorry," Ally apologized. "But I am curious to how the night went down for both of you." She glanced between her two roommates before starting to walk towards the kitchen.

"You're here. You're breathing and that's all we need." Chelsea replied, looking back down at the pot to tend to it.

"Yes, but no one has told me what happened." Ally argued, walking over to a spot next to Chelsea. "I want to know, Chelsea." She finished.

"I'll tell you after we clean up." Chelsea amended.

"Ditto." Libby agreed, her head popping up to look at Ally. "I promise."

"Okay." Ally agreed, before walking around Chelsea to grab plates and silverware out.

* * *

After everything was washed and put away, the three girl gathered in their living room, Ally took a spot on the three seater couch, Libby on the loveseat couch, and Chelsea plopped down into the armchair. Libby had elected to tell her part first, as some of it lead to Chelsea's.

"My co-workers, Dion, Nick and Rylie, and I sat to the side of the stage at Star Labs," Libby started to explain. "We were listening to Dr. Well's speech, I know Barry and Iris were there, but they left halfway through. It was a good speech. After Well's and his staff went into the facility we wandered down the street to one of the restaurants and stayed there until the TV informed us of the particle accelerator not reacting properly before the power cut. I tried to call your number," Libby looked to her sister with small tears forming, "I thought maybe the jump had been cancelled or you had gotten done, but I got nothing. I waited for forty-five minutes and tried again. And then Iris called me and said that Barry was headed to the ER, so that's where I went." She finished, wiping at her tears, "And that's where Chelsea comes in."

"It had been a slow night in the ER, only had ten patients come through the first part of the shift, so we had the news playing on the TV, and I saw the coverages of the accelerator to, and then the TV's feed cut. They had a backup generator in the basement, so our power wasn't affected. Almost thirty minutes after the TV cut, we got a call saying a Lightning patient was on his way in," Chelsea sniffled, and Ally shuffled over to reach her hand over, which Chelsea gratefully squeezed.

"Barry," Ally muttered.

"Yeah." Libby answered.

"Anyways," Chelsea sniffled once more before continuing, "When they brought the patient in I recognized it as Barry, and it was all I could do to not break then and there," sniffle, "I didn't realize it would get worse. Libby and Iris arrived then, and a nurse had to keep Iris back, Iris was shouting 'He's family!'" Chelsea trailed off.

"I tried to help the nurse, and Joe, Iris and I sat in the waiting room forever, all of us quiet, me holding on to Iris." Libby described.

"His heart kept stopping, but when I checked his pulse one of the times it was going so fast. We barely managed to get him stable when we got a report that another patient was on their way, you." Chelsea choked out a sob.

"We saw you ran in on a stretcher, and before the West's or a nurse could stop me, I chased after it." Libby spoke, haunted, tears now falling as she glanced to her sister, who was in a similar state. "I got to the ER doors, and called Mom and Dad after they stopped me from going in."

"I saw Libby get pulled back, much like Iris had earlier. You weren't breathing at all, but they told us you were in a skydiving accident and hadn't been able to pull the shoot in time, but nothing was broken. There was a lightning shaped scar on your stomach though, the people at the skydiving department hadn't told us about that. Your body wasn't allowing us to put any IV's or any needles into your skin, and the anesthesia wasn't working on you. Finally one of the other ER nurses, managed to get a specialist to send the anesthesia through an oxygen mask. We managed to stabilize you, but both you and Barry were hit and miss over the next week." Chelsea finished, as Ally leaned over to hug her tightly, crying openly.

"Dr. Wells, approached our parents and asked for their permission to move you to Star Labs, as I'm sure he did for Barry through Joe." Libby explained. "I tracked down the instructors and everyone, and they told me that when you fell, it was a miracle, because your body slowed down on its descent and you hovered a foot off the ground for a good five minutes, and the paramedic was able to put a stretcher underneath you just before you fell the last foot." Libby wiped her tears away.

"I'm, so... sorry." Ally choked out and Libby stood up and walked to join the hug fest.

"We're just glad you're here with us." Chelsea spoke from her position, sandwiched in a hug.

"Stop worrying." Libby commanded, as her sister dried her tears, and Chelsea did the same. "Now who up for binge-watching Friends?"

"Okay." Ally let out a sniffle, before pulling Chelsea and Libby over to the three person couch, where the three girls proceeded to lay and watch the show, until Ally would leave later that night to practice her newest hobby.

* * *

**WEST RESIDENCE | October 31** **st** **, 2003 |**

Halloween had always been one of Ally's favorite holidays, she had always enjoyed putting on costumes and playing the superheroine. This year she and Barry had decided to be Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, and Ally was cartwheeling and pulling some back handsprings in the West's backyard in her get up, and Barry watched. Iris was dressed up as a black cat, and Libby was tagging along as Hermione Granger.

"Stop showing off," Barry complained jokingly to Ally, as she landed on her feet soundly.

"Me, showing off? Why, I'd never." Ally joked back, a slight southern drawl taking over her voice as she smiled at her friend.

"Hah!" Libby snorted, "Obviously you have never met yourself." Iris burst out laughing simultaneously.

"Oh, I'm not that bad, am I?" Ally asked, tilting her head to one side.

"Eh..." Libby shrugged.

"You can be," Iris admitted.

"Yeah." Barry agreed, hiding a playful tint in his eyes as he slightly smirked at Ally's crestfallen face.

"Just kidding!" Libby announced.

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't." Iris declared.

All four left the house soon after to go into the neighborhood trick or treating and did not return until they each had filled their pillowcases up one third of the way. As soon as they got home, all four dumped their bags out and starting sorting out what they didn't like.

Ally had a pile of junior mints, whoppers, butterfingers and twizzlers moved away from the rest of her pile. Barry's consisted of milky ways, sour gummy worms and the wrapped pieces of gum. Iris's consisted of dum-dums, reese's and almond joy bars. Libby's pile was small and only consisted of sweetarts, tootsie rolls and nerds.

The piles were quickly bartered and traded around until the remaining unwanted candy was handed off to Joe, who also snatched some of the old time candies off of each of the four kids.

* * *

**CCPD FORENSIC LAB | September 14** **th** **, 2014 |**

It had just reached one day over the four month mark for Ally being awake. Barry was still asleep and as of a week ago, Ally had finally started calming down and was in control of her emotions. She knew what was going around her and felt comfortable with her relationships with everyone else.

Then Captain Singh had hired a new ballistics technician a week ago. His name was Joshua Lovatt, he was charming, had a British accent but him being hired felt like Ally's undoing. Singh didn't go as far as to move 'Josh' into her and Barry's lab, but as a part of the C.S.I. unit, she and Josh would work in close quarters, and the guy was a flirt.

Ally was standing in front one of the DNA scanners, and was looking through the data the feedback gave her.

"Ally-gator!" Josh's voice sung from the doorway, making the forensic analyst jump four feet in the air. "Woah, how'd you jump that high?"

"Don't call me that, Joshua." Ally shot back, turning to face the older male, "I used to do parkour, I can do crazy shit, get over it." It wasn't the skill that was being used, but Ally refused to tell him that.

"No way!" Josh spoke, awe in his voice as he stared down at the short blonde. "Break anything?"

"Broke my arm once when I was sixteen," Ally replied, staring him straight in the eye, her head tilted up to do so as Josh was five foot eleven. "Who would have thought I was a klutz." She mused half to herself.

Josh snorted, having noticed the woman's array of colorful skin one of the days, when she had taken off her jacket in the lab once. His face came looming towards hers, smirking

"What, did you find that funny Lovatt?" Ally joked, half annoyed, as she turned away, not liking his dislike of personal barriers.

"Yes, yes I did, Roberts." He chuckled back, watching as she shuffled some paper around on her desk.

"Out." Ally suddenly commanded, turning around and glaring at the man who reminded her too much of a man that should have been in that lab then now if he wasn't out unconscious and stuck in a coma. _Barry._ "Get out of my lab, now." She half yelled, tears threatening to make her voice wobble.

"As you say, my lady." Josh gave in, and slowly retreated back out the way he came in.

Ally waited until he had crossed through the door way and closed the door after himself, before she took large strides towards the window. She pressed her face up against the glass.

"Why haven't you woken up yet, Bare." Ally moaned, tears starting to slip down the sides of her cheek. "Four months," Her voice broke, "I have been up for four months without you." She swiped at her eyes.

"After I met you, Barry, we were never apart for more than the month I spent with the US Junior National team, or when you dodged me for a whole summer. Neither were longer than three months." Ally spoke, her voice cracking, "Why can't you just wake up already!" she whispered, looking out the window at the facility where she knew he was sleeping. She sunk down to the ground and wrapped her arms around herself, frustrated, and started to cry.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am currently trying to plan out how the plot will go throughout the series. One other thing is that Barry still, very much so has an infatuation with Iris, but he also has strong feelings for Ally. They see each other as their best friend, although Ally knows that she likes him but will not act on it because she notices that he likes Iris and does not want to be a second choice for him. I did add in a potential rival love interest (Josh) as to give me another character to work with to help with smoothing out the plot lines. This also allows me to feed the green monster that dwells in Barry.
> 
> 7/25 update: Barry has some emotional ties to Iris, but that was from a small crush from childhood and the fact that she is his other best friend. Barry likes Ally, but won't act on it and Ally likes Barry but believes him to be infatuated with Iris.
> 
> I cannot promise regular updates, but I will probably try to upload a new chapter once (maybe twice) a week.


	5. The Revival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is half of the remainder of episode 1. I had to do this because otherwise this chapter would be too long, but the second half should be up by Saturday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all like this one! I had two tests and an interview, so sorry this update didn't come as fast. I just watched the latest Flash episode today and I cannot wait to watch next weeks!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Flash or any other TV show.
> 
> Fun fact: When I first saw the promo for Legends of tomorrow, I got so excited because Rip Hunter is being played by the actor who played Rory Williams on Doctor Who.

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | August 19** **th** **, 2009 |**

Ally struggled to keep the three boxes she was carrying balanced. She, Libby and Chelsea were moving into their apartment and they had conscripted Barry to help them. Speaking of whom, Barry came down the steps just in time to catch the top box that fell forwards off of the stack.

"You know you can make more than one trip, right?" Barry asked Ally, as he turned around to head back to the room along with his best friend.

"I know, but it goes faster this way," Ally replied, sticking her tongue out at him around the side of the boxes.

They crossed the precipice of the door and immediately were met by Libby, who questioned, "She tried to carry more than she could again, didn't she?"

"Hey!" Ally protested as Barry nodded from behind her, felling lucky that she couldn't see him doing so, but she turned in time to catch the tail end of it. She placed her remaining two boxes down, before turning a bit angrily to Barry. "Stop that. I am perfectly capable of carrying whatever I want to carry."

"Uh-huh, of course you are." Barry mocked back, a smug smile crossing his face, as he put his own box on the floor, Libby chuckling before walking the boxes into the other room.

"Do you want pizza tonight or not?" Ally scolded, a smirk of satisfaction appearing on her face as she realized the perfect blackmailing technique. "I am perfectly willing to withhold pizza from you."

"I yield, I yield." Barry cried holding his hands out in front of himself in self-defense.

"How have you two never dated?" Chelsea asked, walking through the doorway, carrying two boxes, "You two act like an old married couple."

"N… No we don't." Ally stuttered, turning away from Barry, her ears getting warm.

"We don't!" Barry stated, turning his face away from both girls and blushing.

"Hmm," Chelsea hummed, "Well this is the last of the boxes, ready to help unpack?" She asked turning to Barry.

"Uh, sure, yeah." Barry looked back over to Ally, who was finally looked back at him, and once Libby came back out all four adults started to work on setting up the main rooms and moving furniture around.

* * *

**STAR LABS | October 7** **th** **, 2014 |**

Caitlin and Cisco were looking over their second patient, Barry Allen, and Cisco clicked on music on one of the computers. The lyrics of Lady Gaga's poker face were playing as Barry slept, still and motionless on the bed, his shirt removed and sensors stuck over his chest, and an IV drip in his arm.

"What are you doing?" Caitlin asked Cisco, annoyed, as they both peered down at their patient, whose eyes were starting to twitch.

"Deja vu." Cisco muttered, holding a hand to his temple for a moment, before shaking it, "He likes this song." Cisco defended himself, taking a large bite out of a twizzler as he lifted it up to his mouth.

"How could you possibly know that?" Caitlin demanded.

"I checked his Facebook page." Cisco replied, "I mean, he can hear everything, right? Besides, Ally woke up this way." He strode away from the bed towards the main control desk.

"Auditory functions are the last sensory faculties to degenerate." Caitlin yielded, "And I guess she did, come to think of it."

"Can't read my, No he can't read my poker face…" Cisco hummed, going the rest of the way to the desk, as Caitlin turned to look at the monitor that displayed Barry's vitals.

Barry shot up from the bed with a gasp, surprising both employees.

"Oh, my God!" Cisco exclaimed, turning back to look at the enervated patient. Whom was breathing heavily and looking around to figure out where he was.

"Where am I?" Barry asked and half shouted.

"He's up!" Caitlin exclaimed, as Cisco reached for the intercom and spoke into it,

"Doctor Wells, get down to the cortex, like right now."

Caitlin hurried over to Barry's bed. "… Over 110. Pulse 120. Pupils equally reactive to light. Look at me. Look at me." Caitlin spoke rapidly, a flashlight pointed into the man's face, as Cisco also returned to the bedside.

Barry pulled off his sensors and pulled his breathing tube out of his nose. He tried to move away from the bed, only to be interrupted.

"Hey, hey. Oh, oh, relax. Everything's ok, man. You're at Star Labs." Cisco's hands went out, trying to keep Barry steady as he stood up.

"Star Labs? Who are you?" Barry questioned, confused and a bit blinded, staring at Cisco, as Caitlin stuck an ear scope in his ear.

"I'm Cisco Ramon." Cisco introduced himself, before pointing to Caitlin, "She's Caitlin, Doctor Snow." He half rolled his eyes as he corrected himself.

"I need you to urinate in this." Caitlin demanded, holding out a small plastic cup to Barry.

"Not this second." Cisco scolded, his face turning a bit sour, as he snatched the cup from her hand and pulled it away from Barry's face.

"What, what is happening? What is going on?" Barry questioned, moving away from the two probing scientists.

"You were struck by lightning, dude." Cisco half explained, trying to calm Barry down.

"Wh-," Barry gave a look of disbelief before turning around to find a mirror, he looked at it for a moment before questioning "Lightning gave me abs?"

"Your muscles should be atrophied, but instead they're in a chronic and unexplained state of cellular regeneration." Caitlin explained, her hands checking different points over Barry's chest and shoulders.

"Come here, have a seat." Cisco pulled Barry back down and into a sitting position on the bed again, "You were in a coma." Cisco explained.

"For how long?" Barry questioned, shocked.

"Nine months." Harrison Wells had wheeled into the room and spoke up at this very moment, making Barry turn to look behind him, "Welcome back, Mister Allen. We have a lot to discuss." Barry looked straight back at the scientist who he had always admired.

* * *

Barry and Harrison had left the cortex, and ended traveling down one of the corridors of S.T.A.R. Labs.

"It's hard to believe I'm here," Barry told the scientist, as the two walked down the corridors, "I've always wanted to meet you face to face."

"Yeah? Well, you certainly went to great length to do it," Wells spoke, seriously, "Star Labs has not been operational since FEMA categorized us as a class 4 hazardous location," He and Barry passed a mangled cage which had a license plate, with the letters 'Grodd', still on it. "17 people died that night, many more were injured. Myself amongst them." He and Barry came to a stop on the breezeway, looking down into the remains of the particle accelerator.

"Geez. What happened?" Barry questioned, looking down at all of the damage caused by the explosion of the accelerator.

"Nine months ago, the particle accelerator went online, exactly as planned." Doctor Wells started, making Barry glance to the man in the wheelchair. "For forty-five minutes, I had achieved my life's dream and then," He took in a sighing breath, "then there was an anomaly. The electron volts became unmeasurable, the ring under us popped, energy from that detonation was thrown into the sky, and that, in turn seeded a storm-cloud…" Harrison finished, as Barry looked to him in realization.

"That created a lightning bolt that struck me." Barry added, a remorseful look crossing his features.

"That's right." Wells agreed, sensing Barry's resentment, "I was recovering myself, when I heard about you and your friend, Alexa."

Barry looked to the scientist, shocked "What happened to her?"

"As you know, she was skydiving during the storm," Barry nodded, his brow furrowed in worry of what the man might tell him, "Lightning struck her before she could deploy her parachute." Harrison continued, watching with calculating eyes how Barry reacted, "Her supervisors took her to the Hospital." Barry breathed out relieved.

"With her, the hospital couldn't regulate her oxygen, and they found they could not put any IV's into her arms, in reality, her body was somehow pulling in a surplus of oxygen." Barry nodded softly, "With you, Mister Allen, the hospital was undergoing unexplainable power outages every time you were going into cardiac arrest, which was, actually a misdiagnosis, because you see, you weren't flat-lining, Barry, your heartbeat was moving too fast for the EKG to register it." Wells explained as he and Barry wheeled and walked back into the cortex, "Now, I'm not the most popular person in town these days but, the Roberts and Detective West and his daughter gave me permission to bring the both of you here, where we were able to stabilize you and Alexa. Alexa woke up a good five months now," Wells finished coming to a stop within the cortex.

"Ally woke up already, and Iris?" Barry questioned, a grin spreading across his face, as he turned around to face Wells.

"Yes, Iris came to see you quite often. And Alexa, too after she woke up, although she also came for some company." Wells explained, smiling up at the young man, as Caitlin and Cisco approached.

"Iris talks a lot, and Ally stays for hours on end" Caitlin replied, a bit huffily, as she handed Harrison a metal thermos, carrying a tablet in her other hand. Wells took a long sip from the thermos.

"Also, they're hot." Cisco interjected, holding his own drink in his hands as he walked up behind Harrison.

"I need to go." Barry decided, moving towards the exit, determined to find both of his friends.

"No, you can't." Caitlin disagreed, half panicking, her hand coming up as if to stop him, making Barry turn to face the group.

"No, no, no, Caitlin's right," Wells turned around and used his thermos as a pointing tool, "now that you're awake; we need to do more tests. You're still going through changes, there's so much that we don't know."

"I'm fine," Barry threw his arms to the side for a moment, before shrugging, "Really. I feel normal." Barry spoke as he walked backwards through the door, his hands meeting in front of him as he gestured at the three scientists. "Thank you for saving my life." He finished as he turned to sprint down the hallway.

"Really?" Caitlin asked a tad annoyed, and Wells glanced over his shoulder at the female doctor, letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Can I keep the sweatshirt?" Barry asked, poking his head back through the door, pulling at the front of the sweatshirt.

"Yeah, keep the sweatshirt." Wells relented.

"Okay," Barry smiled before running off again to go to Jitters to look for his friends.

* * *

**JITTERS | |  
**

Barry had rushed home to change into cleaner clothes, before heading into Jitters. He spotted Iris from through the window and pulled open the door smiling at his friend. Iris was pouring Coffee when she looked up and spotted Barry. She stared at him for along five seconds before putting the coffee pot down and rushing towards him, her hands flying up to her mouth, shocked to see him walking.

"Oh my God!" Iris exhaled, almost in disbelief as she wrapped her arms around Barry, who instantly wrapped his around her. She pulled out of the hug, now holding onto Barry's arms, her voice getting tearful as she spoke again, "You're awake! Have you seen Ally yet? Why didn't Star Labs call us?"

"I just woke up," Barry explained, his head shaking sideways a little "I haven't seen her yet, I was hoping she would be in here."

"Should you even be on your feet?" Iris asked, looking at him.

"Iris, I'm, I'm ok." Barry stated, shaking his head at her.

"I watched you die, Barry. You kept dying and your heart kept stopping." Iris explained her voice going soft. As Barry glanced at her apologetically.

"Still beating." Barry confirmed, smiling at Iris and putting his own hand above it.

"Oops!" One of the other waitresses bumped into a third waitress behind Iris making Barry glance around Iris in time to catch the scene of waitress dropping her tray as if in slow motion and looking back and seeing someone catch their keys at the same speed, before everything started going in the normal speed for him.

"Are you ok, Tracy?" Iris asked the girl, catching the noise and looking behind herself in shock

"Yeah, I got it." Tracy answered, starting to mop up the spill of the broken coffee mug from behind Iris.

Barry shook his head, trying to clear his mind.

Turning back to look at Barry, who had composed himself, Iris stated, "Ally and my dad are going to be so happy to see you," Iris grabbed Barry's hands for a second before continuing, "Let me get my stuff, ok? I'll be right back." She darted away into the employee only area.

Barry made a soft ch-noise with his mouth, still in disbelief at what he had just witnessed, but looking forward to catching his first glimpse of his best friend soon.

* * *

**CCPD FORENSICS LAB| October 7** **th** **, 2014|**

Ally was sitting in her desk chair, lazily typing up a case analysis. She was half asleep, and had a couple sore spots on her arms from the previous night. She yawned to herself, and was almost shocked to hear a knock on the door.

"Come in, Josh," She called out, assuming it was her new work friend.

"Who's Josh?" a familiar voice asked. Ally couldn't believe her own ears. ' _Huh, I must be hearing things, that almost sounded like… Barry,'_ Ally let out a small sigh.

"Maybe because it is," the voice continued, and Ally looked up to see the form of Barry.

"I didn't say that out loud," Ally muttered. "Am I hallucinating?" she asked herself.

"Ally." Barry called, a little frightened by her reaction. "It's me. I'm here." He confirmed, walking the rest of the way to her desk.

"B...Barry," Ally stuttered, as she realized her mistake, and the fact that she had spoken her thoughts out loud again. "You're awake!" she cried happily, jumping up from her chair and sending it backwards as she closed the distance to him and hugged him tightly. "Why didn't Caitlin call us?" she asked, as she held on to him tightly.

"I just woke up." Barry replied, letting go reluctantly as Ally did the same.

"I missed you." Ally claimed, looking up at him. "It's been too long. Four months and 23 days too long." She muttered to herself, Barry catching the tail end, as she shifted her long sleeve up just enough on accident to give Barry a glimpse of the hand shaped bruise on her forearm.

"Ally, what happened to your arm?" Barry asked, his eyes narrowing down at the bruise.

"Oh that, Ha-Ha" Ally laughed awkwardly, pulling the sleeve down, "I fell down the stairs yesterday," She rubbed at her arm nervously.

"Ally, you don't get a hand shaped bruise from falling down the stairs," Barry started, walking towards his partner, "Can you tell me wh-," Barry was cut off by an unfamiliar voice to him, and stopped talking.

"Ally-cat!" Josh caroled into the room, walking in and stopping as he saw the other former coma patient. "Oh, you must be Barry?" he asked, stopping to the side of the pair of the two longtime friends. His short blonde friend was glaring at him angrily. "Oh, right, you hate the name calling, sorry Squirt, not stopping anytime soon."

"You're Josh then, I assume." Barry replied, giving the six foot tall man a hard look over Ally's head.

"Yup, Joshua Lovatt," Josh confirmed, before reaching out to shake Barry's hand, "I'm the new Ballistics technician." He offered, "Nice to meet you, and welcome back to the land of the living." He gave Barry a small salute before turning to ally, "Catch you later Pip-squeak, got some work to do." He half trotted out of the room, as Ally let out an exasperated sigh.

"Sorry about him, he likes to pop in and do that a lot." Ally offered to Barry, before noticing him giving her a perplexed look, as she grabbed her tote bag from the side of her desk. "C'mon, let's go find Joe," She grabbed Barry's arm, and led him out the door. "I'm assuming you got Iris first?" she asked, looking up to give him a grin.

Barry nodded, and Ally looked away from him for the time being. "Yeah, I left her down there with Joe."

* * *

**CCPD LOBBY |**

"Oh, you scared the hell out of us, kid." Joe told his adoptive son, a delighted tone in his voice, as he captured Barry in a bear hug. There was a decent group of people gathered around Barry, Joe, Iris and Ally, most of them police officers. Joe let go, to allow Barry to greet others.

"Yeah, that was quite the nap you take there, baby-face. And you still look twelve." One of the policemen told Barry, making Barry let out a half laugh, as Ally snickered from beside Iris.

"You look okay," Joe started, putting a hand down on Barry's right shoulder, "Are you really?"

"Yeah." Barry answered, after a split second of thinking, giving Joe a small nod.

"Good to hear." Ally grinned up at Barry, hugging her tote bag to her chest as something to do, having slipped her cardigan back on.

"Detective West, we've got a 5-50 in progress at Gold City Bank. Two dead. Storm's really picking up on the south side." One of the policewomen drew Ally, Joe and Barry's attention, "Grab your rain gear.

"I'm sorry, Barry, I gotta run." Joe stated, before walking around Ally and towards where they kept the gear.

"Do you need my help?" Barry asked, looking over to Joe who had grabbed his jacket.

"Or mine?" Ally interjected, looking up at the detective.

"No, you both take it easy." Joe replied, pointing his finger at the two CSI's, and walking closer to Barry, "There'll be plenty for you to do, Barry, once you've settled in. Let's go partner." Joe called out, before turning to see Iris now beside Ally.

Eddie walked over from his desk, swinging his coat over his head to pull it on, and greeted Barry, "Hey Allen! Glad to see you." He adjusted the jacket on his shoulders and gave a nod to Ally, "Ally."

Ally smiled back at Eddie.

"Thanks, Eddie." Barry replied, but Eddie's focus was now on Iris.

"Hey, Iris." Eddie spoke, locking eyes with Iris.

"Detective, you should go," Iris stated a bit harshly, "my dad doesn't like to be kept waiting." Ally let out a small snort, and Iris half stepped on her foot.

"Oi!" Ally yelped. She grumbled a little bit about secretive daughters in her head.

"Glad you're back." Eddie told Barry, giving him a playful hit to the arm, before walking out of the police department.

Barry turned around to find the glass enclosed tribute to Chyre behind him.

"The night of the explosion, Clyde Mardon shot and killed Chyre." Ally spoke, her voice going a bit soft.

"Mardon and his brother died trying to escape their plane crash." Iris finished.

"Iris! Got a minute?" an Inspector addressed Iris, and Iris followed him towards his desk.

"Hey Barry. Good to see you." One of two other inspectors spoke from the booking area, locking cuffs onto the accused gunpoint robber. One that was caught and hand delivered the night before by a woman in an almost all white costume with a pair of yellow goggles.

Ally narrowed her gaze on the perpetrator, having recognized him. Ally looked to Barry and saw his gaze harden as well.

Barry could see the perpetrator move as if in slow motion, like what had happened at Jitters, as the perp attempted to steal the gun out of the second inspector's holster. Barry ran over, and pushed the perp on the pack, causing both inspectors to adjust their grips on his arms. Barry got back to where he was standing previously and looked over at Ally, who was now staring at him. Papers had blown off the desks slightly and the lights swung a little bit, before a gust of wind seemed to stop them from moving anymore. Nobody else in the police office realized what Barry had just done, other than Ally and Barry himself. Ally's mouth parting in shock for a second, before she snapped it back up.

"Screw you!" The perpetrator shouted angrily, thinking the force had come from the two inspectors. As Barry and Ally watched as the inspectors wrangled the perp away from the booking area into detainment.

"You ok?" Iris asked, coming back to check on a nervous looking Barry.

"I, I'm fine." Barry stumbled over his words some, before reaching to grab Ally's arm, "I, I just need some air, I'm gonna take Ally with me. I'll call you tonight, Iris. All right?" he asked, before he and Ally walked quickly out of the building and onto the street. Iris turned to watch them walk out the door.

* * *

**STREET|**

Ally and Barry came out onto the street outside of CCPD, and saw that there were vehicles parked in the area. Barry had his hands clasped tightly together, and looked at Ally, who immediately questioned him.

"What was that in there, Barry?" Her curiosity piqued, as she stared at him, worried but more so fascinated.

"I don't know." Barry replied, unlatching his hands, and pulling one up towards his face and he and Ally watched it vibrating faster than the blink of an eye. "What's happening to me?" he gasped, holding on to that arm now with his other hand.

"Barry, just calm down." Ally stated, reaching in her tote to pull out her cell phone. She looked up to see Barry shoot towards the wall opposite them at a high speed, half stumbling forward awkwardly. "Barry?" she asked, as he panted heavily out of breathe.

Barry stared down at his arm before turning around slowly. He moved again, and accidentally shot himself through the back window of one of the cop cars.

"Barry!" Ally yelped, running over to the car and pulling him off of the car. Barry looked from her to the car in shock, as Ally started to wipe a hand through his hair to get out any glass that was left in it. She kept up with him as he started to pace backwards, and he looked at her, before looking down the road ahead of them, and looking back.

Barry gave Ally a soft smirk before reaching a hand to clasp under her legs and swinging her into a fireman's hold.

"Bare-" Ally just got out before Barry took off down the street. She let out a yelp and tightened her grip on her stuff and latched her arms around Barry. The force of Barry running blew back the dumpster and rattled the trash cans, as Barry whipped around the corner and down side streets. Ally looked up and saw walls flying by them rapidly, she let out a small yell of excitement, as Barry whooped.

Barry yelled, realizing he didn't know how to stop, and dove with Ally into a Laundry van that had bags of people's clothes being sent to Gambit Cleaners. The man who was loading the truck looked into the back area after the truck shifted a little on the ground and the emergency brake groaned, to find a green faced blonde and an excited male brunette under a bag of the laundry.

"Awesome!" Barry breathed out, before he and Ally clambered out of the truck, Ally apologizing to the attendant. They walked a couple blocks away and turned a corner, where Ally immediately whipped her hand around and whacked Barry, her tote resting on her shoulder. "Ow." Barry whined.

"Don't do that again!" Ally yelled, her face angry, before softening at Barry's hurt look, "Just give me a warning in the future alright?" she amended.

"I will." Barry replied, before watching Ally pull her phone out again, "What're you doing?" he questioned.

"Calling Caitlin, STAR Labs probably should know about this," Ally replied, before dialing, Caitlin picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?" Caitlin spoke.

"Hey, it's Ally, I'm with Barry. We have a little situation on our hands," Ally replied.

"Alright?" Caitlin asked.

"He's got super speed," Ally whispered into the phone, "Me and Barry can meet you guys up at the Ferris Airport Speedway."

"Alright. Be there in 30 minutes." Caitlin replied before hanging up from her end of the call.

* * *

**FERRIS AIRPORT- CENTRAL CITY | October 7** **th** **, 2014 |**

Ally glared up at the sign at the airport, but reminded herself that her parents had died in Coast City at Ferris Airport, not at the Central City one. She looked behind herself to the STAR lab's mobile command unit, and walked towards it and the canopy and table that Caitlin and Cisco had set up near all of their equipment and pulled one of the chairs over to the table next to Harrison. Caitlin was standing on the other side, and was typing information into her tablet.

"You don't really believe he can run that fast, do you?" Caitlin asked Wells.

"He can." Ally replied, having just witnessed it firsthand. Caitlin glanced at her before looking to Harrison. Cisco was pacing around behind all three at the table.

"Well, I believe anything is possible, and in a few minutes, maybe you will too." Harrison replied.

Ally stood up to go stand by the door to the trailer near Cisco, and made a face at him.

"How is it?" Ally asked into the trailer, as Cisco asked simultaneously, "How does it fit?"

"It's a little snug." Barry replied, emerging in a red leotard looking article of clothing, complete with two knee pads, wrist/arm guards, a heart monitor and a helmet. He stood on the stairs for a couple seconds.

"At least you'll be moving so fast, no one will see you." Cisco offered.

Ally was snickering and reached towards her phone, and Barry glanced at her and spoke, a finger coming up to point in her direction, "Ally! Don't you dare…" he threatened, as she snapped the photo anyways, bending over with laughter at his expression.

"Pft- You look- ha-ha- great Bare!" Ally got out, in between peals of laughter. He made a face at her, and told himself he would get her back for it later.

Cisco grabbed Barry's arm and Barry walked the rest of the way down the stairs, towards the speedway's stretch of space, in front of the table set up.

Cisco and Ally followed and Cisco started to explain, "See, you thought the world was slowing down," Barry shook his head side to side, trying to get used to the helmet, as Cisco continued his arm up on Barry's opposite shoulder. "It wasn't. You were moving so fast, it only looked like everyone else was standing still." He and Barry smirked at each other, before Cisco pointed to his comrades in science, "Doctor Wells will be monitoring your energy output, and Caitlin your vitals."

"What do you do?" Barry questioned looking to Cisco, "And what will Ally do?" he glanced at Ally who pulled a face at him.

"You're lucky you just came back to life, Bare." She teased, before smiling back at him.

"Ally, she's general support," Cisco declared, and Ally gave him a side arm hug. "Me, I make the toys, man." He turned to face Barry, pulling out and holding up a small black disk with a yellow lightning strike symbol on it, "Check it. This, is a two-way headset with a camera I modified. Typically designed to combat battlefield impulse noise, or in your case, potential sonic booms. Which would be awesome." Cisco rambled, before reaching up to Barry's head to steal his helmet to attach the headset, and sighing, before walking to the table.

Caitlin half stalked over, her tablet in her hands still, passing by Cisco.

Ally nudged Barry, who had pulled his goggles away from his eyes, and Barry looked up in time to meet Caitlin's eyes.

Caitlin taped on the heart rate monitor to start it up and connect it to her device. "What?" she asked, feeling Barry's stare on her.

"Nothing." Barry stated, shaking his head before continuing, "I just noticed you don't smile too much." Barry noted, and Ally groaned, and walked to join Cisco by the table.

Caitlin fixed a glare on her patient, "My once promising career in bio-engineering is over." She stated, before looking back along with Barry and to Doctor Wells, "My boss is in a wheelchair for life." She turned back, "The explosion that put you in a coma, also killed my fiancé. So this blank expression kinda feels like the way to go." She finished, looking down to her tablet before walking to the table as Barry winced.

As Caitlin reached the table she was greeted by a hug from the slightly shorter blonde. She gave a half smile to Ally, which Ally happily returned.

Ally turned and joined Doctor Wells by Barry in time to catch Wells saying, "Mister Allen, while I am extremely eager to determine your full range of abilities, I do caution restraint."

"Yeah." Barry agreed.

"Don't break anything." Ally warned, smiling at him.

Barry set up on a running track type block. Cisco had a speed reader in his hand and was ready to point it at Barry. Ally stood next to Doctor Wells in front of the table, and Caitlin stood behind both of them monitoring the computer screen. Barry looked back to the gang, and saw Harrison place on some sunglasses. Ally nodded at him from where she stood, and Barry turned back to face the empty path ahead of him.

After taking in a couple last breaths, Barry's eyes flashed with electricity and he took off, effectively blowing Cisco onto the ground and breaking a piece of glass, papers went flying, and Ally didn't get pushed back, instead maintaining her position. Caitlin was blown back a few paces, and Well's wheels slid back a foot.

From his position on the ground Cisco grinned happily, getting up and watching the red streak travel at inhuman speeds down the speedway.

Caitlin walked forwards, staring out at him in disbelief. "Told you so." Ally spoke up, half laughing.

From the distance away that Barry had reached he shouted "Whoo-hoo!"

"He just passed 200 miles per hour." Cisco told the gang.

Caitlin pulled her binoculars down and handed them to Ally, who immediately trained them on Barry. "That's not possible." Caitlin declared.

"Ah, but it is!" Ally replied excited. From behind her Harrison looked up and smiled looking out to where Barry would be.

Ally kept the binoculars on Barry and watched as he stumbled a little before running straight into the stack of cans at the end of the track, she gasped, as she saw the water that was in their shoot up, and it was all that she could do to not fly, or race, down the track to check it out.

Within the cans, Barry groaned and held onto his arm, his wrist and hand twisted into a weird angle. His face contorted because of the pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I really wanted to get something up tonight, so I had to cut it here, this chapter was at 19 pages and 5K + words without the responses, and the remainder from the episode dialogue is already another 15 pages. Hopefully I will post it sooner, but I will make sure it is up by Saturday evening. Hope you enjoyed it!


	6. The Reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will have a longer author's note at the bottom.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Flash or any other CW show.

**POLICE STATION | October 7** **th** **, 2014 | Mid-afternoon**

Captain Singh had walked in, phone in hand, and looked around at the crowded police department before asking Joe, who was standing overseeing the civilian reports, "What is all this?"

"Witnesses from the robbery at Gold City Bank." Joe answered, coming to walk beside the captain, "Perp made off with 200 grand, more or less."

"Catch these guys." Captain Singh urged, before walking away from Joe and into his office.

Joe stopped behind where Eddie was questioning one of the employees at the bank.

"The windows blew in," the distraught women was telling Eddie, a blanket draped over her shoulders as she visibly shook in her seat, "it was like a hurricane. Everyone ran for cover."

"We're gonna have a sketch artist work with you, if you feel up to it." Eddie replied, reaching out to the women as a gesture of comfort. The women gave a small nod, and one of the female officers with a clipboard changed spots with Eddie. Eddie stood up from the desk and walked over to Joe.

The two detectives started walking towards the sitting room, where more witnesses were waiting. Eddie spoke up, "Third robbery in a month, where a freak storm precedes it." Eddie flipped to an empty page in his memo pad, "Sounds like one of those Wide World of Weird cases Barry and Ally are obsessed with." He gave a small chuckle to himself.

Joe scoffed, "They're not obsessed."

"Guess you haven't read their blog." Eddie shot back smirking a little bit, before trailing off.

"The security cameras at the bank?" Joe asked his partner, his hand coming backwards to roll as a prod for information.

"Apparently they all shorted out." Eddie answered, giving a half shrug, readjusting his notepad and pulling out a pen.

"Well, we've got a bunch of witnesses here." Joe motioned to the group of people sitting in the waiting area, "and they all have cellphones." He half sung, and Eddie gave him a short look of annoyance.

* * *

"The sky went black, and then boom!" A young male witness was retelling his story to Eddie, two officers and the Captain who looked displeased. Joe was on one of the police department computers, looking at the video the witness had recorded, which showed a storm brewing inside of the bank. "Outside was inside." Joe followed the motion of the robber on the screen, watching as the perpetrator walked out with his loot, headed towards a car, knowing that if he was lucky enough the plate number would be legible. "Man, it was like there was a thunderstorm, in the bank."

Joe cut the witness off, addressing one of the officers, "Vukovich, suspect is driving a black Mustang, partial plate- six-kilo-Charlie-three, put out an APV." He commanded, before biting his lip concentrating.

"Copy that" Vukovitch replied, walking away to do just that, having scrawled the number down on his memo pad.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

In the cortex, Barry and Ally were leaning back onto the gurney, half sitting on it. Ally put her hand softy on Barry's shoulder to draw his attention back to the present. He glanced to her and gave her a soft smile, which she easily returned, pulling her hand back away to rest it on her lap.

Caitlin was walking towards them, with her tablet in hand as the pair watched. "It looks like you had a distal radius fracture." Caitlin told Barry and Ally, as she held up the tablet to show them the digital file of an x-ray. In the x-ray, both forensic scientists could visually see a piece of the bone separated from the rest.

"Had?" Barry and Ally asked together, perplexed. Ally's nose started to wrinkle a bit.

"It's healed." Caitlin replied, swiping the screen up to reveal a second x-ray image, one that was normal and was completely healed, "In three hours."

"No way," Ally breathed out in shock. She knew from experience that they took over a month to heal, with the help of a cast.

"How is that even possible?" Barry asked, his brows furrowing.

"We don't know." Caitlin paused, her eyes glancing down, slightly infuriated at the fact, before looking up a determined smile crossing her face, "Yet." The smile disappeared as quickly as it had come, sliding off her face. Cisco came into the cortex, and walked behind where Caitlin was standing, as the female doctor looked back down at her tablet before walking to her desk behind the gurney.

"You really need to learn how to stop." Cisco told Barry, walking by and holding the helmet Barry had worn during the test run out to him for second before retreating to his own desk.

Barry gave Cisco a small smile, accepting the comment, before looking to his wrist and pushing on the bones.

Ally followed Barry's glance down to his healed wrist, before looking up in time to catch Harrison's eye as the doctor started wheeling himself closer.

"What happened out there today?" Wells questioned Barry, who was still looking down at his fingers, intertwined in front of him. "You were moving pretty well, and then something caused you to lose focus." Wells elaborated, his tone turning into a question at the end, making Barry slowly look up to the scientist.

Barry's shoulders slumped a little, and he breathed in a little, getting ready to tell his story, Ally glanced away from Wells to give Barry a sympathetic look.

"I started remembering something." Barry started to explain, before pausing. Wells shot him a go-on look as he drew in harried breaths. Barry swallowed before continuing, "When I was 11, my mother was murdered." The statement caused Caitlin to look up from where she was typing something into the computer on her desk, and Cisco to stop screwing in a component on the helmet and do the same. Well's hand came to rest on the armrest of his wheel chair, and one of Ally's snaked its way back across Barry's shoulder and she pressed herself into his side.

Barry took in another long breath, "It was late, a sound woke me up. I came downstairs, and," Barry kept pausing throughout his words, causing Ally to look down, having memorized the story when she was younger, and Harrison to look at him quizzically, "I saw what looked like a ball of lightning." Harrison pulled off his glasses, continuing to watch Barry, as he wiped them off with the bottom of his shirt, "Inside the lightning, there was a man. He killed my mom. They arrested my dad." Harrison's mouth molded to an 'o' shape of understanding, before he checked that his glasses were clean and put them back on.

"He's still sitting in Iron Heights for her murder." Barry continued, as Caitlin looked back down and Cisco remained still. "Everyone, the cops, the shrink, everyone I knew other than Ally, they — they all told me what I saw was impossible." Caitlin looked back over to Barry as Ally's hand moved to rubbing Barry's back. Barry swallowed with some difficulty. "But what if the man who killed my mom was like me?"

"Well I think I can say unequivocally you are one of a kind." An incredulous tone was in Harrison's voice as he responded to the question

Ally's phone buzzed, glancing down to it she jumped up, "I have to go, I'll see you later, Barry, guys." She barely stopped to grab her tote bag before running out of STAR Labs.

* * *

**JITTERS | |**

Iris was in the outdoor seating of Jitters finishing up her shift, when she noticed the familiar hair of Eddie Thawne sitting at one of the tables. She walked over and with a drawl in her voice she asked, "Can I help you, Detective?"

"You can stop acting like you can't stand me when your dad's around." Eddie replied an annoyed tone in his voice, as he looked and almost glared at Iris.

"Aww." Iris put her hand on the back of Eddie's neck, leaning in, "But I like having a boyfriend who isn't shot to death."

Eddie smiled, and Iris smiled as she closed the distance between them to give Eddie a small kiss, not noticing until she pulled away that Barry was standing by the fence of the seating area. As Eddie put a hand on her elbow, she removed her hand and stepped back, looking at Barry, who shuffled nervously.

* * *

**STREET | |**

Barry and Iris left Jitters shortly and were walking on the sidewalk towards the overpass.

"You can't tell my dad. He doesn't know about me and Eddie." Iris insisted, as she pushed her hands further into her jacket's pockets.

"Doesn't seem like anyone's in on the secret." Barry replied, a little spitefully.

"Ally knows," Iris replied, "She found out about the same way, just when we first started dating."

"So she found out by accident too." Barry replied, scoffing.

"I was gonna tell you," Iris started, as the two stepped off of the sidewalk to cross the street. "When you were in the hospital, Eddie covered my father's shifts so that we could both be with you. I thanked him with a cup of coffee, and things just kind of happened." Barry gave a small pained smile as they stepped up onto the other sidewalk, where two pikers passed by them, "And it's good." Iris finished, smiling up at Barry.

"Dating your partner's daughter, isn't that against department regulations?" Barry questioned, a small frown coming onto his face as he thought about the regulation of relationships between partners.

"Why are you so upset?" Iris asked.

"I just don't like having to lie to your dad," Barry replied, before he heard the sound of police sirens from behind them, the lead car spun out of control and was headed right for them, thinking fast, he grabbed Iris and flung both of them to the ground behind a cement flower bed pot.

The car smacked into the cement object, and Barry looked up from his position on the ground next to Iris, who was facing the opposite way. Barry caught a smug smirk on the getaway driver's face as everything went in slow motion for him. His face flashed with recognition, as he realized the driver was Clyde Mardon, before he darted after the vehicle, just barely not noticing the white figure in the sky above him also seemingly in pursuit of the car.

"Barry?" Iris asked, looking around only to find he wasn't there.

* * *

Barry was in pursuit of the car, and chased after it, as the car caused an accident when it flew through an intersection. He followed it and caught up to it as it changed lanes, he punched in the glass and before Mardon could process it, he had got himself into the car, sitting in shotgun.

Mardon glanced over, and was surprised to see a man instead of broken glass in the seat. Snarling, he faced the road and started to reach for the gun in his pants.

Barry noticed this and reached his hand out to grab and jerk the wheel all the way towards him, sending the car into a flip sideways. The car landed upside down and the roof's metal screeched as it moved along the asphalt. Glass in all the windows was now shattered, as cars honked their horns passing the wrecked mustang. Barry managed to get out of the car, and made a sound of pain as his skin picked up the glass. A little bit of blood was already on his forehead from the windshield breaking.

Barry watched Mardon walk away from the car and onto the street, shaking out his arm as he did so.

"Hey! Mardon!" Barry shouted, getting up to his feet and starting to go to the robber.

Mardon turned around, angered by the voice. He shot a dark look at Barry, as a car now behind him screeched to a stop. He stumbled towards the Barry, his arms coming out to his sides as his palms released fog.

As Barry watched the fog disperse, Mardon slipped into it and vanished.

A new figure appeared, a woman clad in all white, who came gliding down from the sky in a quick descent, landed softly on the ground in front of where Barry was standing. Barry whipped back around to take in her outfit. She was wearing on a ¾ sleeved white under shirt, and a silver-white colored heavy duty Kevlar-Leather vest, white spandex leggings, a pair of silvery-white leather shorts, and white ballet flats. She wore a white hood, which was all Barry could see of her head. He noted that her posture was almost stiff.

Barry watched as the woman's arms came up from her sides, a gust coming from nowhere, dispersing the fog to nothing, Barry looked for Mardon, but he was nowhere to be found.

A car honked three times behind Barry, causing him to spin around in time to catch the sight of an oncoming car, he flung himself to the grass on the side of the road in time to avoid being hit by the car, which had spun and flipped over the belly of the wrecked getaway into the air with an explosion. The car flipped in midair and landed on its wheels, the windows smashing and the car's hubcaps falling off from the wheels.

Barry spun back around from where he was laying belly down on the grass, hoping to catch sight of the woman, but instead finding that she had flown up, he followed the figure as she flew over the top of a Kord Industries' skyscraper before disappearing out of his view. He looked to the car and was grateful to see that the man was stirring inside his car.

* * *

EMS and the Fire department had arrived on the scene of the wreck. Barry and Iris were now both standing on the road, watching as the driver was wheeled between them on a stretcher to the waiting ambulance. His legs were both mangled beyond belief and covered in blood and glass.

"That poor man. The way that fog came in, I have never seen anything like it." Iris spoke, her head shaking side to side in disbelief.

Barry watched the two EMT's loaded the driver's body into the ambulance, his arms crossed.

"Barry! Iris!" Joe yelled, as he approached his daughter and adopted son, who both turned to look at him. His arm came out to clamp down on Iris's shoulder.

"I'm all right, Dad." Iris insisted.

"What the hell were you thinking having her out there?" Joe demanded, angrily at Barry gesturing to Iris, before turning his gaze to her, "And I told you! When you see danger, you run the other way! You're not a cop!" Joe had a finger pointed in Iris's face.

"Because you wouldn't let me!" Iris argued, her shoulders coming up and back down as she spoke.

"You're damn right!" Joe stated, stopping to take in an angry breath.

"Iris, Barry!" from behind Iris came the sprinting form of Ally, who ducked under the crime scene tape with her tote bag. "I heard what happened, are you guys alright?" she asked, coming to a stop beside Iris, out of breath and panting.

"We're alright, did you run here?" Iris asked, positioning herself to support Ally.

"I saw it on the News," Ally breathed, gulping in air. "Had to come check," another breath, "that you guys were okay."

"Thanks," Barry replied, to Ally's small pained smile, before he turned to Joe and demanded, "Joe, I need to talk to you."

"It can wait." Joe replied forcibly.

"No, now." Barry decided, and walked away from the girls, Joe following him. He rubbed his hands together, having gotten cold, and licked his lips to alleviate them being too dry.

Ally's ears were trained on their future conversation, but her focus was turned to Iris.

"I know who did this." Barry stated to Joe, who looked at him with his eyebrows furrowed together, before jerking his head up and back down telling Barry to continue. "It's Clyde Mardon." Joe looked away from him, disappointed. "I know, everybody thinks he died in a plane crash after the Star Labs explosion, but he is alive."

Joe nodded, but stared at Barry thinking that maybe the coma had affected his mind.

"All right, something happened to him that night. I, I think he can control the weather." Barry continued, as Joe nodded again, in disbelief. "The recent robberies, they all happened during freak meteorological events. And when I just confronted Mardon, the street was instantly enveloped in fog." Barry finished, and recognized the look of disbelief, "Of course you don't believe me. You never believe me." He observed, disappointment shown clearly in his eyes, a grim smile coming onto his features.

"Ok. You wanna do this now?" Joe asked confrontational, pointing to Barry, who nodded, "Out here?" Joe prodded, "Fine. Mardon is dead. There is no controlling the weather, Barry. Just like there was no lightning storm in your house that night. It was your brain helping a scared little boy accept what he saw." he finished, as Barry gave a small, shake of his head.

"My dad did not murder my mom." Barry disagreed softly.

"Yes, he did!" Joe yelled angrily, infuriated, "Your dad killed your mother, Barry. I am sorry, son," Joe's voice was just as tense, but a tiny bit softer, "but I knew it, the jury knew it, now he's paying for what he did."

"Dad, enough!" Iris interjected, as she and Ally came striding in front of Joe.

"Joe, Stop." Ally agreed, a hand on his arm.

"No, Iris, Ally!" Joe shouted, stopping both in their tracks as he turned to glower at them, before turning and wagging his finger in Barry's face who turned away from him, "I have done my best to take care of you since that night, and I never asked for anything in return, not even a thank you, but what I do ask now, is that you for once in your life, see things as they are."

Barry did his best to not look into Joe's eyes. He let out a pained sigh, before looking at the ground, and making a decision, grabbing Ally's arm and pulling her away from Joe along with him.

Joe and Iris stared after Barry and Ally, Joe instantly regretting his words, and Iris afraid that he would be too mad to make it up with Joe later. Iris turned away, only to bump into Eddie, before walking away past him.

Joe watched as Barry pulled Ally with him under the yellow tape and Ally flashed him an apologetic smile. Joe's facial expression showed his grief instantly, before he was drawn to look behind him.

"You're not going to believe this." Eddie announced, pulling a folded sheet of paper out from the inside of his coat and putting an hand on Joe's coat elbow before removing pulling his hand back and using it to unfold the paper, "We've got the eyewitness' sketch of the robber from the bank job. If I didn't know better, I'd say that's Clyde Mardon. But that's impossible, he's dead, right?" Joe had the paper in his hand, and looked at the photo of Clyde that Eddie held in his. Joe huffed, letting his arm go slack but still holding onto the paper.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry and Ally were in the elevator of STAR Labs, Ally was giving Barry a mild glare for not warning her before taking off, and Barry was pacing in the elevator on edge.

The elevator went "ping", and Barry immediately strode out, pulling Ally along with him, who was barely keeping up.

"I wasn't the only one affected by the particle accelerator explosion, was I?" Barry demanded of the three scientists, coming in through the automatic door to the cortex, as the three looked at him and paused what they had been doing. Ally straightened herself from her tilted posture now that he had stopped moving.

Harrison looked back to his employees, as Cisco cupped some snacks, and Caitlin visibly gulped. "We don't know for sure." He replied, cryptically as Ally pulled her arm away from Barry, who looked surprised to see her for a second, before she went to sit down by Cisco.

"You said the city was safe, that there was no residual danger." Barry strode towards Wells again, "But that's not true, so what really happened that night?" he questioned.

Harrison's eyes rolled a little bit, before he turned to Caitlin and Cisco, who looked down mournfully, before he spoke, "Well, the accelerator went active, we all felt like heroes," he pushed two commands on his wheelchair display, and brought up a simulation of the explosion, which Barry and Ally immediately turned to look at, "and then, it all went wrong. A dimensional barrier ruptured, unleashing unknown energies into our world, anti-matter, dark energy, - X-elements…"

Barry watched as the simulation went through before turning back to Wells and interrupting, "Those are all theoretical."

"And how theoretical are you?" Harrison questioned, making Barry close his mouth, and glance back at the screen which displayed a map now. "We've mapped dispersion throughout and around Central City but we have no way of knowing exactly what or who was exposed." Harrison glanced to Caitlin he closed her eyes, Ally reaching out to her in comfort, "We've been searching for other metahumans, like yourself."

"Metahumans?" Barry questioned.

"That's what we are calling them." Caitlin replied, seriously.

"It literally means beyond human," Ally explained, having been there for a similar conversation.

"I saw two today." Barry told the team, making all four of the others look up, "She's some type of costumed vigilante, He's a bank robber, she can fly and manipulate air and he can control the weather."

"This just keeps getting cooler." Cisco exclaimed.

"This is not cool!" Barry snarled in response. "All right? A man _almost_ died." Caitlin and Cisco looked at him in shock, Harrison gazing at Barry calmly, "Mardon must have gotten his powers the same way I did. From the storm cloud. He's still out there. We have to stop him before he hurts anyone else." He declared, turning to the door to leave.

"Barry!" Harrison called, making him stop in his tracks, "That's a job for the police or for the girl you mentioned." Harrison exclaimed, making Barry turn around and shout,

"Yeah, I work for the police."

"As a forensic assistant." Ally added.

"You're responsible for this. For him." Barry pointed at Harrison.

"What's important is you! Not me." Harrison yelled back, swiveling his chair to point his legs directly at Barry, "I lost everything. I lost my company. I lost my reputation. I lost my freedom." Caitlin glanced away from Doctor Wells, knowing she was close to tears, sensing this, Ally rolled over in her desk chair to give the woman a one armed hug. "And then you broke your arm, and it healed in three hours." Barry's glare softened as he listened, "Inside your body, could be a map to a whole new world genetic therapy, vaccines, medicines, treasures, Barry. Deep within your cells, and we cannot risk losing everything because you want to go out and play hero." Wells finally yelled, and Barry looked to him in shock. "You're not a hero. You're just a young man who was struck by lightning." He reaffirmed as Barry looked at him like he did not believe that this was a man he once looked up to.

Barry glanced to the other two scientists, and then to Ally who refused to look at him, still angry at him for earlier. He looked away from them all before speeding out the doors and all the way on the highway to Starling City, thinking about the moment when he had seen his mother lifeless in his living room after running back to the house.

* * *

**STARLING CITY | |**

Barry had had to ditch his jacket due to it catching on fire from the friction about five miles before the city.

"So that's my story. I've spent my whole life searching for the impossible. Never imagining that I would become the impossible." Barry was on a rooftop and was talking to his and Ally's mutual friend, Oliver Queen, the Arrow, as he finished he walked closer to the older man, who was not wearing his normal mask.

"So why come to me?" Oliver asked, turning to look at Barry, "Something tells me you didn't just run 600 miles to say hi to a friend."

"All my life I've wanted to just do more. Be more. And now I am." Barry explained, before a disappointed tone hit his voice, "And the first chance I get to help someone, I screw up." Oliver looked to him in sympathy, "I was chasing the bad guy, and, and someone almost died. He would have died if it wasn't for a female vigilante in all white who flew as if she was _walking on thin air_." Barry took in a breath, as Oliver's eyebrows raised, "What if Wells is right? What if I'm not a hero? What if that woman could do a better job than I ever could? What if I'm just some guy who was struck by lightning?" he asked, repeating the barbed words that had hurt him.

"I don't think that bolt of lightning struck you, Barry. I think it chose you." Oliver stated nodding at the CSI.

"I'm just not sure I'm like you, Oliver. I don't know if I can be some vigilante." Barry replied.

"You can be better. Because you can inspire people, in a way that I never could." Oliver responded, being honest, "Watching over your city like a guardian angel, making a difference saving people. In a flash." Oliver turned and walked to the edge of the roof before looking back at Barry, as he slid his mask back on, "Take your own advice. Wear a mask." Barry smiled, before Oliver leapt from the roof, only to shoot an arrow and using it to swing on, to get to the side of a taller building.

"Cool." Barry murmured, before turning and taking off back towards Central City.

Oliver watched the red streak move out of the city and repeated Barry's words, "Cool."

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry had returned to STAR Labs, apologized to Ally for dragging her everywhere, and gathered case files to read. He, Ally, Caitlin, and Cisco were in the now dark cortex, with a map spread out on a table, and two boxes worth of cases were in front of Barry and opposite from Ally.

"I've been going over unsolved cases from the past 9 months, and there's been a sharp increase in unexplained deaths, and missing people." Barry explained to the two employees, "Your meta-humans have been busy." Caitlin and Cisco shared a glance, "Now, I'm not blaming you, I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen. I know you all lost something." He looked to Caitlin, who glanced to the map, then back up, "But I need your help to catch Mardon, and anyone else out there like him. But I can't do it without you." Caitlin and Cisco nodded just barely to each other.

"If we're gonna do this I have something that might help." Cisco stated, before all four of them headed into one of the side rooms, and Cisco twirled around a dressed mannequin resting on a slanted stand, it was red and mostly leather. "Something I've been playing with. It's designed to replace the turnouts firefighters traditionally wear. I thought if Star Labs could do something nice for the community, maybe people wouldn't be so angry at Doctor Wells anymore."

"How is it gonna help me?" Barry asked, walking closer, the lights going on now, as Ally smiled at Caitlin from behind him.

"It's made of a reinforced tri-polymer, it's heat and abrasive resistant, so it should withstand your moving at high-velocity speed." Cisco enthusiastically explained, as Barry came closer and closer, "And the aerodynamic design should help you maintain control. Plus, it has built-in sensors, so we can track your vitals, and stay in contact with you from here."

"Thanks." Barry stated, before asking, "Now, how do we find Mardon?"

"Caitlin and I re-tasked Star Labs satellites to track meteorological abnormalities over Central City." Ally explained, before Caitlin took over, showing the map on her tablet to Barry. "We just got a ping. Atmospheric pressure dropped 20 millibars in a matter of seconds. I've tracked it to a farm just west of the city."

"I think I'm getting tired, I'm gonna head home, see you at work Bare," Ally yawned, before walking to grab her tote and exit the Cortex.

"Night." Cisco and Caitlin called.

"Night." Ally replied before turning to Barry, "Be safe out there, alright?" she commanded, and received a sharp nod back before she turned and hurried out of the facility.

* * *

**FARM | |  
**

Joe West and Eddie Thawne were parked at the entrance of the farm where Joe had last seen Mardon alive, when Clyde killed Chyre in this same barn. He and Eddie opened their doors, and Joe explained, "I'm not saying Mardon is alive, but if he was, this is the last place him and his brother hid out." They shut both doors to their car.

"Let's go." Eddie agreed, the two detectives walked towards the entry to the barn, both had their guns pulled out, ready to fire. They entered cautiously until they found Clyde sitting on a stool in the middle of the room.

"Mardon? On your feet. Hands on your head." Joe instructed, pointing his gun at the floor of the barn.

"You got me." Mardon scoffed, and from behind him, Joe put his gun away, Eddie still having his trained on the convict, while Joe reached for handcuffs as Mardon continued, "The night of the storm, after Star Labs blew. After our plane went down, and I woke up on the ground, alive. When I saw what I could do, I understood. I am God." He declared, triumphant.

"Shut the hell up!" Joe demanded, as Mardon got up.

"Turn around." Eddie ordered, his gun pointing at the bank robber as he took a few steps closer.

Mardon raised his hands, dark fog oozing out of his palms and into the air, before using it to push both detectives back through the air. They both landed against a few bundles of hay along the walls. Eddie slumped down, unconscious from the force of the throw, while Joe looked up at Mardon, as the winds swirled tempestuously around them.

"You think your guns can stop God?!" Mardon shouted over the howling wind.

"Why in the hell would God need to rob banks?" Joe argued, glaring at the man, as he stayed sitting against the wall.

"You're right," Mardon agreed, to Joe's disappointment "I've been thinking too small." His arms went to his sides, as a dark tornado began to form around him, ripping through the ceiling of the Barn, as Joe scrambled to grab Eddie, who was still out, and stumbled out of the Barn. Joe made it outside and stood beside the car for a moment, before the tornado burst through the Barn wall, the force of which pushed both detectives into the car.

As Joe sat there, he saw a piece of the roof coming directly towards him and Eddie, he put his arms over his head, before Barry, in his new costume whipped in and grabbed the piece of wood, landing underneath it. Barry lifted the material off of himself just as the white costumed meta-human flew in and landed beside him.

"Hello again," she spoke this time, using a voice modulator to disguise her voice. "I have some experience with this type of weather, can create tornados in my sleep," she explained, facing Barry who could now see that under her hood she wore a pair of yellow goggles, the lenses tinted enough so he could not see her eyes. "For now, just call me White, don't have any other name you can use." She offered, shrugging a little.

Barry stared at her for a little before nodding. He paused when he heard Cisco come onto the Comm.

**(A/N: this part maybe confusing as I am taking the comm-link stuff and putting it in, so anything Caitlin or Cisco do is from Star labs)**

"Barry, Barry, this thing is getting closer. Wind speeds are 200 miles per hour, and increasing. Barry, can you hear me?" Cisco cried over the comm-link.

"Yeah. Loud and clear." Barry responded. White was watching him, her head tilted to one side.

"If it keeps up, this could become an F5 tornado." Cisco explained.

"And it's headed towards the city. How do I stop it? Guys?" Barry was frantic, "What if I unravel it?" Barry asked, hopeful, and glanced to White who nodded in confirmation.

"How the hell are you gonna do that?" Caitlin cried out.

"Tell them that you will run around it in opposite direction," White explained, "I can fly the same around the middle."

"I'll run around it in the opposite direction, cut off its legs." Barry spoke through the comm-link, "And the woman I told you about, said she'd fly around the middle."

"He'd have to clock 700 miles per hour to do that." Cisco muttered to Caitlin inside STAR Labs.

"Your body may not be able to handle those speeds. You'll die." Caitlin replied, "And what about her, she probably wouldn't able to either."

"I can hit 700 mph," White told Barry, still using her voice modulator, "I can fly as fast as a plane, and my powers, help me manipulate the air currents." White offered and Barry nodded.

"We have to try." Barry shouted to Caitlin over the comm-link, before both he and White took off, Joe watching both take off. White flying and circling the middle and Barry running around the bottom to create a vacuum in plain view of the night sky with the moon peeking through above the city.

"The suit's holding up." Cisco exclaimed, as Barry ran and ran and White flew by the farm.

"But he's not." Caitlin muttered, frightened, as she checked his vitals in the Lab.

"He can do it. I know he can do it." Cisco claimed, nodding to himself.

White kept going even as she watched Barry fall away from the tornado, and seeing that Mardon had lashed out at him. Barry tumbling to a stop outside of the tornado.

"He's too strong." Barry cried over the comm-link, standing up from where he had been, as White battled with Mardon widening the tornado.

"It's time to think big." Mardon cried out.

Wells had wheeled into Star labs just as Caitlin and Cisco were going to give up, and spoke, "You can do this, Barry. You're right, I am responsible for all this." His words recharged Barry slowly, "So many people have been hurt, because of me, and when I looked at you, all I saw was a potential victim of my hubris, and yes, I created this madness, but you, Barry, you can stop it. You can do this now, run! Barry, run!"

Barry joined White again at the tornado, now going faster, and scaring Mardon who saw what was happening, he screamed as Barry and White dissipated his storm, Wells and the other two having watched a simulation that showed the cancellation of the wind.

"Barry?" Caitlin asked over the comm-link.

White and Barry had landed near to each other and were surprised to see Mardon emerge holding a gun in one hand. Barry's cowl had fallen off.

"Hey!" Mardon called, "I didn't think there was anyone else like me."

"We're not like you." White spoke, now standing and glaring at the robber, who looked between the two, irritated.

"You're a murderer." Barry claimed, and Mardon shook, before raising his gun to aim at Barry.

White jumped as three gunshots went off, she looked behind herself and saw Joe standing there. Joe had shot Mardon in the chest three times, killing him. Joe ran to Barry and White.

"Barry?" Caitlin asked again.

"It's over. I'm ok." Barry told the doctor. On the STAR labs side, all three were smiling.

* * *

"Joe West," Joe introduced himself to White.

"That's alright detective, I know who both you and Barry Allen are already" White spoke, her voice still synthesized. "You can call me White, but for now it's a temporary name," she offered the detective a hand, but he stared at her incredulous, so she turned to Barry, "I believe I will be seeing you again, Barry." She told the man in the red suit, before holding a hand out to him, "Hope to do this again soon." She offered, as he shook her hand. She stepped away from both before turning and taking a small jump into the air.

* * *

**APARTMENT | |  
**

White landed gracefully on the balcony, before rapping on the door to the apartment twice, a figure came to the door and opened it, revealing Libby who smiled at White.

White pulled off her hood and removed her goggles to reveal Ally.

"How was it? I heard Barry's awake?" Libby shot off both questions immediately.

"Yes, Lib, Barry's awake, and he's doing well. And it was good, I think I just partnered with a speedster." Ally chuckled to herself, not revealing his name as to leave that secret for him.

"What happened?" Chelsea asked, coming out in her pajamas to check on Ally and Libby.

"Oh," Ally moaned, "I'll tell you guys tomorrow, I'm exhausted." Ally yawned, before opening her bedroom door, changing and flopping onto her bed, out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

**STAR LABS | October 8th, 2014 |**

Inside of Star labs, Cisco was working on an upgrade to Barry's suit.

"Why is it shaped like a lightning bolt?" Caitlin asked, looking at the suit over Cisco's shoulder.

"So it's not boring." Cisco replied, as he affixed a small red circle outlined in gold with a lightning bolt on it to the center piece of the suit. "After this, I'm going to design a suit for 'White'," Cisco announced

* * *

**STAR LABS – TIME VAULT | |  
**

Harrison Wells rolled down the hallway, and came to a stop by one panel, and pressed his hand up against it, making the door's pieces split apart like pixels on a screen. The doorway now open, he wheeled into the room, revealing a room with a pebbled metal wall and a podium at the opposite end from Harrison.

Harrison stood up, and stepped off of his wheelchair, tossing his glasses onto it and walked to the podium. Pressing his hand on the small panel on the top surface of it, the podium projected a hologram that was a newspaper, from the year 2020. The main title read "Flash Missing/Vanishes in Crisis."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! Got it done. It's 5:00 in the morning but I had caffeine so yeah. So details:
> 
> White is not Ally's final name that will be coming at the end of episode 2 (possibly 3). So Ally is technically an aerokinetic meta-human, which means she can manipulate air (aerokinesis). She is able to fly by manipulating the current around her. She however differs from Mardon as she cannot produce her own air, she has to take it from surrounding, so if someone can remove her air, she is powerless. Right now she can fly, manipulate tornado's and other wind weather, and capture objects in a wind bubble, she is working on density constructs (making air solid) but hasn't quite grasped the idea of it yet. She currently has the capacity of flying up to 700mph, but her top flight speed will be Mach 3- 2601 mph. How long she has been a vigilante for- she has been fighting crime at night since July 20th, so a little less than 3 months. Also, I know that the driver was supposed to be killed in the first episode, but I believe that him dying isn't as necessary, and Ally's powers cancel out some of the danger, so I made him live. :)  
> I do plan to have Ally keep her ID secret from Barry at least until episode 5.
> 
> Hope you all liked this one!
> 
> Also if you're interested in what I use for inspiration/face-claims this is my Pinterest board for this story: https://www.pinterest.com/KimHoff717/walking-on-thin-airflash-fanfic-inspiration-board/


	7. Gunfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This will be the first half of episode 2, I hope y’all like it. I am doing a small scene from ep. 1 for plot reasons.

**Farm | October 8** **th** **, 2014 |**

It was the day after Joe shot Clyde Mardon and Barry met 'White'. Ally and Barry had been assigned to analyze the, now ripped in half, farm house. They had finished and walked over to Joe who had just arrived, Ally catching Josh's glance from beside the house and returning it, before looking down at her own feet. She and Barry took spots near Joe, both leaning on either side of him against the car. There was wreckage everywhere, and an ambulance just to their right, where someone was treating Eddie.

Joe and Barry both had grim looks on their face, while Ally's was mournful of the destruction.

"What you and that woman can do," Joe started, still in disbelief in the way that Barry could run and White could fly, "It was the lightning bolt?" He trailed off, as Ally and Barry both glanced to him.

"More or less," Barry replied.

"I'm sorry Barry, Ally," Joe shook his head softly, as Ally gave him a small grin, "I'm sorry I didn't believe you," Barry let a soft grin slip over his face. "And I called you two crazy for chasing the impossible." Joe sucked in a heavy breath, "But Barry, you really did see something that night your mom died." Barry nodded, his eyebrows pulled together. "And your dad is innocent." Joe finished, as Barry and Ally both looked to him in muted shock.

Ally shuffled to go to Joe's side, as the detective turned his body to fully face Barry's.

"Listen, both of you, I don't know why you told Ally, or knowing her, how she found out," Joe started, staring both of them in the eyes, "but I need you both to promise me something," Ally and Barry nodded, and continued, "I don't want either of you telling Iris about anything that you **–** " he stared pointedly at Barry, "or White can do. Any of it. I want her safe." Joe looked up to both young adults, "Promise me."

"Promise." Ally replied, a grim grin on her face as she nodded, knowing that she has already had enough practice keeping secrets like this one.

"Yeah." Barry's expression was almost identical.

* * *

**DOWNTOWN CENTRAL CITY – CHUBBUCK | October 14** **th** **, 2014|**

Ally pulled on her costume, having caught the alarm Libby had set up on her phone, part of a police/fire department scanner. Pulling on her shoes and sticking the comm she received from Cisco in her ear, she quickly ran out and onto the balcony of her apartment, before pausing and taking off into the air with a whoosh. She spotted the smoke easily, the building was only a couple blocks away from her. As she flew towards the top of it, she noticed a red streak going through the city. " _Barry,"_ Ally thought, as she flew to the building, from the opposite way of Barry. ' _He must be going at least 350 miles an hour_ ', she noted, before turning her comm on to the frequency of the fire department.

"This is Ladder 52." One of the trucks chattered through it, "We're still at least two minutes out."

"People are gonna die in there." The department chattered back.

"I know." The voice from the truck replied, Ally switched it off, before changing it to the frequency of star labs, having received the comm-link a few nights ago when she ran into Barry as White on patrol. She watched as the blur straight past the building with a whoosh.

"Barry? Barry!" Cisco's voice spoke up over the Comm.

"What? Did I miss it?" Barry replied, as Ally landed with a soft thud within the building's upper level, going through one of the windows.

"You overshot by about six blocks." Cisco replied, as Ally forced herself not to snicker and give away her presence.

Barry sighed, "My bad."

Ally turned off the Comm for the time being, starting to cough from the fire stifling the air, as she walked cautiously through the building. She stopped as she saw a small girl, holding a teddy bear, her face covered in ash as White rushed towards her, turning her modulator on.

"Help?" the small voice asked, as White put her hand on the girl's shoulder, pushing some of the non-smoke air towards the girl.

"Yes, I'm here to help you, what's your name?" Ally struggled not to cough, now having to breathe in the smoke filled air.

"I'm Paige, there are others in here, too." The small girl told White, hugging the taller woman's legs.

"Show me," White commanded, and the girl took her hand, leading the vigilante towards two figures in a different room, White using her air to force the building into a more stable position.

As soon as all three civilians stood behind White's back, she caught the sound of one speedster whipping through the staircases. "You all will be alright." She told the civilians, as they huddled gratefully behind her, now also breathing fresher air that she had forced to surround them, her air now even more full of ash as she stifled a coughing fit.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

"You there yet?" Cisco asked over the comm, as he watched Barry's tracker come closer, putting his lollipop back into his mouth.

"What are you doing?" Caitlin spoke from behind him, holding a mug of coffee in her hand as Cisco spun around, shutting the monitor displays off as to attempt to hide the evidence.

"Nothing." Cisco replied, facing the angry doctor.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked, staring at him with an incredulous look of disbelief on her features, as she started taking a few steps towards her co-worker, who leaned against the back of his desk chair.

"No one." Cisco replied, his face barely managing to not convert to a look of fear, as Caitlin came towards him slowly.

"Are you talking to Barry?" Caitlin asked.

"Who?" Cisco asked, pulling a confused look.

"Barry Allen? Struck by lightning?" Caitlin continued, walking closer and closer, gesturing with her coffee and phone laden hands, "Was in a coma for nine months? Woke up being able to run faster than the speed of sound? Ring a bell?"

"Nope. Haven't talked to him." Cisco replied, lollipop still in his mouth as he let out a small gulp.

* * *

**BUILDING— CHUBBUCK | |**

"Cisco, there's fire everywhere! Cisco, are you still there?" Barry cried over the comm, now arriving on the same floor as White. He looked up a spotted the vigilante, who was coughing currently, standing amidst the fire, a young girl and two other civilians huddled behind her. "What are you doing here?" Barry demanded, stalking over to the woman, and getting ready to speed her out of the building.

"I saw a fire." White replied, her voice modulated once again. Barry's arm reached for her arm, but before he could grasp it firmly enough, she took a step away and commanded, "Them first." She motioned towards the little girl and the other two civilians.

Barry let out an exasperated sigh, before fixing the stubborn woman with a hard glare, as he grabbed the small child and whipped the girl up and into his arms, quickly taking her out the same way he had come in. The force of his speed pushed ash into White's hood, and the vigilante let out a small huff.

"Mommy!" The little girl cried, as Barry left her standing in front of her mother, whooshing his way back into the building. As he did, the mother ran to hug the little girl, exclaiming "Paige!"

He deposited one of the other civilians further out in the street, racing back inside in a similar fashion, the woman glanced around herself, her pajamas singed. An older male was next, in a similar state of dress. Barry returned, and grabbed White as she was in the middle of a coughing fit, transporting them out and past the fire truck whose sirens wailed continuously, having just arrived on scene.

* * *

**ALLEY – CHUBBUCK | |**

Barry came to a stop with White, and set the woman gently down on her feet, and pulled his cowl off. He turned to her as she started to draw in air greedily, "What were you thinking, White?" he demanded.

"I was thinking, I could help them." She replied, evenly, now having caught her breath. She clicked on her comm and spoke through it, Barry catching the sound twice, "Cisco, this is White, everybody's out. Let's hear what you came up with for my new name," She gave Barry a small smirk, a hand of hers coming up to rest on her hip, as he stared into the reflective surface of her goggles.

"Thanks... Zephyr," Cisco replied after a small pause, and Barry and Ally could hear the smile creeping into his tone, as both shared a small grimace. "You know, because it means a gentle breeze." Catching the silence from Caitlin and the two heroes, he amended his statement, "Alright, I'll keep working on it."

"Thanks for trying, Cisco, I gotta head out, see you when I see you." White replied, clicking the comm off. She got ready to fly, but Barry reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Who are you?" He asked, "You shouldn't be out here doing this, you could get hurt." Barry scolded, as White's mouth hardened into a straight line.

"That is for me to know." White claimed, "Also you're one to talk, and I've been doing this longer than you have so get over it." White's modulated voice commanded through her pinched lips. She braced for flight, before giving Barry a small salute, "See you later Baby-face," she cajoled, a small smile slipping back on her mouth as she took a small leap up into the air and away.

Barry let out an exasperated sigh, the woman knew exactly who he was so why couldn't she just trust him with her own identity. "What else you got for me, Cisco?" Barry spoke over the comm, as he watched the white figure fly behind a building.

"Barry, its Caitlin." Caitlin spoke over the mic now, anger in her tone.

"Hey, Caitlin," Barry flinched at the sound, wincing to himself and letting out a defeated sigh, "How's your day?" he gave a grim smile to the wall of the alley.

"Get back to Star labs. Now." She demanded angrier because he attempted to play it off.

"On my way," Barry replied, grimacing as he tried to run only to feel a jolt hit his leg and make his brain throb. He reached a hand up to his temple to sooth the pain, letting out a small "Oh." He shook his head slightly before heading towards Star labs at high speed.

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | |**

Ally had only been back in her apartment for a few minutes. She had just changed out of and stowed her vigilante costume in her always handy white tote when she heard her phone buzz behind her. Picking it up, she looked at the screen to find out that Joe was calling her. She clicked answer and held the phone up to her ear.

"Hey Joe," She replied instantly, her other hand now trying to displace all the ash and soot out of her hair and off her skin.

"Ally." Joe replied, "We've got a fresh crime scene about five blocks away from you, you know Hex's Gun Shop?"

"Okay, I'll be there in like five minutes." Ally replied.

"See you then." Joe replied, hanging up.

Ally sighed to herself before looking at her hands and smirking. She used her powers to throw a gust a wind into her own face, successfully getting all but a small unnoticed smudge on the back right side of her neck. She threw the rest of her work things into the upper compartment of the tote, before shrugging on her coat and running out of her bathroom, through the bedroom and into the pantry grabbing a small granola bar, before heading out of the apartment.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry arrived through the doors of the cortex, and headed over to face Cisco by the doorway to one of the smaller lab rooms. Both shared a wary glance as they noticed the frosty Caitlin start to stalk towards them.

"Have you both lost your minds? Who do you think you are?" She demanded, her heels clicking on the floor as she moved through the doorway the boys were surrounding and past them, her left hand carrying one of the tablets.

"Well, I'm the eyes and ears," Cisco replied, stepping away from where he stood and following Caitlin further into the main cortex area, "and he's the feet." He gestured behind himself to Barry, who had started to follow him at a much more human speed and was still in his suit.

"This isn't funny." Caitlin stated, looking back over her shoulder to glare at both, who were still trailing after her. "You could have gotten yourself killed." She waved a finger back at Barry. "You can't be running around the city like some supersonic fireman." She reached the main desk and turned around to glare at Barry who came closer to her.

"Why not?" Barry asked, glaring back confrontationally, "This is what we talked about: Me using my speed to do good." He argued, facing down the female doctor.

Caitlin shook her head, "We talked about you helping us contain other people who might have been affected by the particle accelerator explosion. Meta-humans." Her hand came up as she spoke. "And aside from Clyde Mardon and White," She glanced towards Cisco, who looked like he wanted to interject, "we haven't found any."

"People in this city still need help." Barry replied, before letting out a small sigh, "And White and I can help them."

"We can help them." Cisco amended, hands on his back, as Caitlin struggled not to let out a frustrated groan.

"Will you please say something?" She addressed Wells instead, maneuvering to face the man who was wheeling into the room in his wheelchair, instead of glaring at Barry. Barry turned himself around slowly to face the older man.

"I think what Caitlin is saying, in her own spectacularly angry way," Wells started, coming around the main desk to stop just in front of Barry, "is that we are just beginning to understand what your body is capable of." He looked up to see disagreement in Barry's eyes, as Caitlin glanced to Barry from behind said speedster. "Not to sound like a broken record, Mr. Allen, I do caution restraint." Harrison finished softly, nodding to both young adults.

"Dr. Wells," Barry started, diplomatically, "I doubt restraint is how you got to be the man you are today." He argued, as Caitlin shook her head in disbelief from behind him.

"In a wheelchair and a pariah." Harrison countered casually, before resolving his words, "Lack of restraint is what made me these things." He finished, before turning to go behind the main desk console, "Know your limits."

Barry mentally sighed, as Caitlin stalked around him to stare him down.

"Don't expect me to patch you up every time you break something." She spat out, exasperated. Barry gave her a confused and slightly annoyed look, as she walked around him to go somewhere else in the lab.

"Hey, uh, anything happen out there today?" Cisco approached Barry, his hand coming up to land on Barry's shoulder, as he half pulled the other guy towards the side of the room, "The sensors in the suit were kicking back some weird telemetry, like your vitals spiked for a few seconds." Cisco stared at Barry expectantly.

"Never felt better." Barry replied, giving Cisco a look of incredulity, scoffing at the idea.

Cisco let out a soft 'oh' sound in response before he felt a phone vibrate in his jean's pocket. He fumbled to retrieve the phone from the pocket, and finally held it in his hands, staring down at it. Seeing the face of Joe West on the screen he held it out towards Barry with a dissatisfied grin, walking away as soon as Barry had grabbed it.

"Hey, Joe, everything all right?" Barry answered the phone after letting out another sigh.

* * *

**GUNSTORE | |**

Ally walked into the gun store in time to spot Joe with his phone to his ear. She hurried over to stand beside the detective just in time to hear him speak.

"Great." Joe started, reaching out to dust the little bit of ash that Ally had missed getting off of the side of her neck, with a confused but curious look on his face.

Ally mouthed 'Barry' to Joe, and got a small grim nod. She walked alongside Joe, both glancing around the scene of the crime.

"I got a fresh crime scene," Joe continued, "A dead body, Detectives interviewing witnesses miles of that yellow tape stretched over everything. I'm only missing one thing." Ally let out a snicker, which was probably loud enough for Barry to hear, as Joe came to a stop beside her, "Can you guess what that is?"

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

"I'll be right there." Barry answered over the phone, before turning to look at the three scientists gathered at the main desk, "My day job beckons." He announced, before running around the desk and out of the room, making papers fly off the desk and blowing Caitlin's hair into her face.

Caitlin fixed her hair, before turning to face Harrison again.

"When do you think he'll realize he didn't take his clothes?" Harrison asked Caitlin and Cisco, amused.

* * *

**STREET – GUNSTORE | |**

Barry came to a stop outside of the yellow tape and ring of cop cars surrounding the building. The policemen, luckily, were not looking in his direction. He glanced down and realized what he was wearing before turning and noticing a His & Her's clothing store. "Hmm," He made a noise, before taking off into the store, dodging shopping civilians.

* * *

**GUNSTORE | |**

Ally stood on Joe's left, and on his other side was Captain Singh. All three were looking at the crime scene in front of them. Ally hadn't started to collect evidence yet, as the forensic photographers were still going over some of the scene. She pulled her gloves on, noticing that the crew had stopped taking photos at least in the main area.

"Perp made off with a bunch of handguns, at least six Glock 19s fitted with extra ammunition magazines," Joe announced, to Singh and Ally's ears, as all three stared in the direction of the store owner, now deceased. The glass gun cases had been shattered, and the gun's holders were empty. "Somebody's looking to do a whole lot of bad." Joe finished.

Ally turned around in time to catch sight of Barry as he walked up behind their group, now dressed in a brand new outfit.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." Barry apologized, coming to a stop on the other side of Ally, who immediately narrowed her eyes at the small tag on his shoulder, and reached upwards to snatch it off of his coat. Unfortunately for Barry, this motion was perfectly in the view of both older men.

"Doing a little fall shopping, Mr. Allen?" Singh asked, incredulous.

"Oh." Barry laughed nervously, "I was going so fast this morning, I didn't even notice." He finished with a grim smile, as Ally reached into her tote and handed her partner her extra pair of gloves.

"Oh." Singh let out, in disbelief of the excuse.

"Yeah." Barry replied, slipping on the gloves and trailing Ally as she ducked under the yellow tape and entered the cordoned off area.

"I downloaded the surveillance footage off the video camera." Eddie spoke from behind the two CSI's who quickly maneuvered themselves through the scene talking to each other in low voices, as Eddie played the video for the captain and Joe. The video showed a masked man entered and shot the owner before shooting a round of bullets into the camera, "Looks like only one perp." Eddie declared.

The three men looked up to watch Barry tread carefully around and half through the spilled dirt on the ground beside the body. Ally was squatting to the side of the dirt. Joe made a small motion at Barry, who reacted quickly under the pressure.

"Footage may only show one, but it was six guys." Barry stated, as Ally looked up to find the three men staring in confusion at the dirt.

"Look at the tracks. They're all crossing each other." Ally explained, pointing out the trails, before clarifying, "Six sets of footprints. Six guns stolen." The three gave her a nod of understanding.

"We should be looking for a crew. Huh," Barry stated suddenly, as he lowered himself down to Ally's level, glancing closer at the footprints. "Weird. The shoes, it looks like they're all the same size." Ally offered him a small smile, which he returned. "Men's tens, I'd guess. Just like you, Captain." Ally's expression moved into one of embarrassment, annoyance and slight bemusement, as Joe's stayed blank, and Singh and Eddie's both molded themselves into one of shock and bewilderment. Barry tried to recover, "Not that you're a suspect, sir."

Captain Singh had already turned, caught the eyes of Eddie and both had walked away, leaving Joe to stare back in shock at his adoptive son. Ally struggled not to snicker at both of their expressions, instead giving a steely glare to Barry, whose expression had morphed into one of pure horror, as he was pretty mortified by what he suggested.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

"Your ability to multi-task is truly remarkable." Joe started, walking between the two CSI's, "The way you can embarrass me, Alexa, the captain, and yourself all at the same time." He turned to glare at Barry, Ally situated on his left flank, also glaring at Barry.

"Ally, Joe, I'm sorry." Barry apologized to both, giving both a regretful look.

"I'm starting to think "Joe, I'm sorry" is my actual name considering how often you say it to me." Joe reprimanded his hand coming out towards Barry.

"No kidding," Ally agreed, her arms crossing over her chest, as she glared upwards at Barry. She being five foot four, and him, six foot two, she had a large distance to cover.

"I'm dealing with a lot right now." Barry tried to excuse himself, trying to avoid eye contact with both for a moment. Ally was still glaring at him, albeit a little softer now. He pursued his lips, looking to Joe.

"Look, I know you are. Believe me, I'm dealing with it, too." Joe stated, "I've always had a very simple set of beliefs. Gravity makes things fall. Water makes things wet. And up until a few weeks ago, I believed that no one could fly and that the fastest man could run a mile in four minutes. Not four seconds."

"Bet I can do it in three—" Barry started excitedly, a small smile twitching its way over his face, before he schooled it into one of indifference, "Not relevant."

Ally bit her lip in order to not smile at his adorableness.

"Neither of you have said anything to Iris about all this, right?" Joe asked both CSI's.

"No." Ally stated simply as Barry spoke simultaneously.

"No, I made you a promise. I keep my promises." Barry half sputtered out.

"Keep on lying like that, both of you are liable to get struck by lightning again." Joe scolded, before turning to Barry. "Get up to the lab. Start processing the evidence from the gun store." Barry turned on his heel and made for the steps, Ally made to follow him, but Joe grabbed ahold of her elbow, "Ally, hold up a sec." he commanded, as Barry turned to see his best friend staying there with Joe and gave her a small smile, which she returned, before he ran the rest of the way up to their lab.

"Yeah, Joe?" Ally asked, looking up to her third father figure, the first being her birth dad, and second her adoptive one.

"Can you explain to me why you had ash on your neck, or why you have been beaten and bruised recently?" Joe asked forcibly, staring down at the woman he had seen grow up over the course of fourteen years.

"Uhhh..." Ally stammered, before her phone let off a series of three beats, she turned to it grateful to not have to try and explain her new hobby to Joe. She looked at the alert, and read it to herself. "Shit. I have a formal event that I'm attending with Libby and Chelsea in less than two hours." She stated, trying to turn away and retreat from the detective.

"Ally." Joe spoke.

"I really have to go Joe, but I'll explain it to you tonight, alright?" Ally offered, Joe nodded, and she took off running back through the doors of CCPD, her tote bag almost bumping into Eddie, who had just opened the doors to enter the building himself

Eddie walked over to Joe, "Where is she going in such a hurry?" he asked.

"To some event." Joe replied evenly, before walking with his partner to their office. As he walked he thought back to the occasions when Barry and Ally were little when he caught both of them running down the street towards Iron Heights. Barry had always been so furious after he was caught, while Ally just followed Barry, wanting to help him get answers for what happened. She never really got as angry with Joe as Barry did.

* * *

**CCPD – LAB | |**

An hour had flown by before Barry had realized it, he had been busy analyzing the evidence, he was about to stick one of the vials of material analysis into the centrifuge. He had just gotten it set up when he went to turn the machine on.

Barry had been wondering where Ally was, surely she couldn't still be talking to Joe. He didn't want to even consider the possibility that she had gone to Josh's lab. He shook the idea out of his head as he realized that the machine wasn't working.

He reached a hand to the back of the machine to check that the cords were properly set up, before trying the switch another couple times. When that didn't produce any results he took his hand and hit the side of the machine, frustrated with the crappy machinery. He took the vial out of the machine carefully, giving up on the centrifuge, when he realized that he could possibly produce the right amount of centripetal force to not need the machine.

He smirked to himself, before testing the theory, using his super speed to swirl the contents of the vial around the container with his hand. He let out a small chuckle, realizing that it worked. He almost turned to make a quip to Ally, before remembering she wasn't in the lab. He frowned, and put the vial down in a test tube holder, standing up and walking towards the center table, only to become severely disoriented and almost collapse onto it. He exhaled heavily, before being interrupted.

"This is all Ally's and your fault." Iris stalked into the room, and Barry looked to her. "I could have taken European folklore to cover my sociology requirement, but no."

Barry took into account the fact that Iris was wearing a nice dress.

"You two said, 'take journalism, Iris. Reporters have all of the fun.'" She mocked, "Guess what, Barry? Reporters have none of the fun. Journalism is boring. I'm bored. I blame you." She finished her rant, coming to a stop paces away from Barry, before looking around the room and at Barry who hadn't spoken up yet. "What? And where's Ally?" Iris asked.

"You look really nice." Barry complimented, "And Ally, I don't know, haven't seen her since an hour ago," Barry replied, a slightly saddened look on his face, as he walked to the table behind Iris.

"Weird, and Thanks." Iris replied, before continuing, "Why don't you look nice?" she asked, and Barry gave her a look of confusion, "This afternoon? Suit and tie? The university is giving Simon Stagg –"

"Simon Stagg." Barry repeated, realization coming over him quickly.

"- Some big award. And you agreed—" Iris continued, not heeding his interruption.

"To explain the science stuff for your article. It's all coming back to me now." Barry stated, an apologetic look on his face as he looked at his other best friend.

"How fast can you get home and change?" Iris asked.

"Uh," Barry let out, "pretty fast." He nodded to Iris.

"Hey, Allen." Eddie entered the room, walking towards the pair of adoptive siblings, "Joe asked me to see where you're at on the evidence from the gun store shooting." He stated to Barry, his hands resting on his hips before he shifted his gaze to Iris, "Oh, hey, Iris." His voice dropped to a smoother tone, and Barry resisted the urge to grimace, knowing that if Ally was present, that was exactly what she would do.

"Detective." Iris replied, a similar tone in her voice.

"Please, guys," Barry started, looking between the couple, "uh, just kiss already. I already know, remember?" He retreated over to the desk, and was typing something into the computer.

Iris smiled in Barry's direction, before going to Eddie, her hands going to the blonde's cheeks as she closed the distance between their lips. She pulled away smiling at her boyfriend, as smiled back before turning to look at Barry.

"Ah. Thanks for being so cool about this, Barry." Eddie stated, as Barry, nodded a little from where he was staring at the monitor, before straightening to rest his arms on the desk chair. "I know it's not easy keeping a big secret."

Barry sighed, walking towards the windows and muttered, "I'm getting used to it."

* * *

**STAGG INDUSTRIES – BALLROOM | |**

Barry and Iris walked up the driveway to the large modern building. There was a large stage sent up, and people were milling about, chattering to each other, as they entered through the glass doors. Once inside, Barry followed Iris to the center of the room, Barry was still wondering where Ally was, he hadn't seen her before they left.

"Barry, look," Iris suddenly commanded, pulling on Barry's arm and pointing towards a blonde dressed in a midnight blue dressed, flanked by two familiar girls who were smiling and waving at the pair, while tugging on the girl's hands.

"Ally," Barry mumbled, as she turned around to smile softly back at her friend. Iris pulled herself and Barry the rest of the way to the three girls.

"Barry, why didn't you tell me you were coming," Ally asked, her earrings glinting in the light.

"That's because he forgot." Iris explained, before unlooping her arm from Barry's and going to stand next to Chelsea and Libby, who all shared conspiratorial smirks as they slowly backed away from the pair.

"Yeah," Barry trailed off, his jaw still dropped a little as he stared at his best friend, almost frozen in place.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that, Barry?" Ally asked, "Do I have something on my face?" She asked, her hand coming to brush her cheek.

"No, no, nothing like that," Barry replied, as the other three watched giddily, waiting for him to say something more intelligible. "Are those your mother's?" Barry asked instead, as Iris, Libby and Chelsea slumped their shoulders, disappointed, as Barry changed his attention from Ally's figure and facial features, to her necklace and earrings.

"Yeah, I think they are the only things I ended up taking from her jewelry collection," Ally replied, softly, fingering the pendant of the necklace that rested just underneath her collarbone.

The two were stopped from continuing their conversation when Simon Stagg stepped up to the podium on the stage. Iris quickly returned to Barry's other side, Chelsea and Libby standing on the other side of Ally.

The crowd around them started to applaud, and the five young adults followed suit.

"I find it quite remarkable, having once been a timid freshman at Central City University, to be standing before you now, the regent's choice for man of the year." Simon Stagg stated, a proud look on his face throughout his speech, "While I very much appreciate the award, the real honor for me is knowing that my work in organ transference helps give people a second chance at life. Thank you all very much for coming."

The crowd dispersed, heading towards the servers who were carrying platters of hors d'oeuvres and of champagne filled flutes. Chelsea, Libby and Ally split off from Barry and Iris to go find some of Libby's coworkers.

"Okay, All right," Barry spoke, walking with Iris in the opposite direction of where his very distracting best friend had gone, "First things first, Simon Stagg's work in cellular cloning has led to huge advancements in the future—"

Iris made a delighted noise, grabbing two champagne flutes off of one server's tray the two passed, holding the glasses in one hand, and her phone in the other.

"—of organ replacement," Barry trailed off.

"Are journalists allowed to drink on the job?" Iris questioned, handing one of the glasses to Barry, who quickly took the second glass from Iris and put both down on an empty table.

"Okay. If you are bored already, just wait till we get to the science behind cellular regeneration." Barry stated, teasing Iris slightly.

"I have missed this, Barry." Iris claimed, looping an arm through Barry's, as he glanced over her head to spot Ally sipping on a glass of champagne with her roommates and Libby's co-workers on the other side of the room from him and Iris. "I feel like we haven't spent any quality time together since you woke up from the coma." Iris continued, pulling her arm away and facing Barry.

"Yeah, I've had a crazy few weeks, I know." Barry replied, nodding at Iris, who released a thankful smile.

"I thought maybe you'd been avoiding me because of Eddie." She explained, looking at Barry, "I know you think it's wrong, me dating my dad's partner, and I just—"

"No." Barry replied, "That is not it. At all."

Iris spotted Mr. Stagg walking behind Barry and instantly reacted, "Oh! Oh! Mr. Stagg," She called, striding towards the man, "I was wondering if I could get a quote from you for my article." She asked the business man, who was flanked by his bodyguards.

"Not now, miss." The large bodyguard, held out a hand to stop her from pursuing.

"I'll just make something up," Iris joked to herself, waving a hand in the air, as Barry came forward giving a half amused huff, "So, What were you gonna tell me? You looked like you were about to say something." Iris asked Barry who turned to her.

"Yeah—" Barry started, after taking in a long breath.

He was interrupted by the sound of gunshots going off behind him and Iris, making everyone scream and go to the floor. Barry lifted his head in time to spot Ally positioning herself in front of her small group, one of Libby's coworkers had brought her teenage daughter with her.

The six masked gunmen were surrounding the stage, and one of the audience members had charged the masked man standing by the podium. He was quickly pushed down and off of the stage, releasing a grunt.

"Quiet down! All of you!" The man on the stage yelled, and a hush fell over the panicked room of people.

"Oh, my God." Iris exclaimed, she and Barry quickly maneuvering to kneel on the floor as well.

"Quiet!" The main man yelled again, his partners spreading themselves out to surround the crowd. "How considerate! You're all wearing your finest jewelry! Almost like you knew we were coming to rob you!" The man announced, as Barry and Ally sucked in breaths, staring at the number of people in the crowd. "Now everybody line up!"

The other men enforced the command, lining the crowd up on opposite sides of the wall. And going through them with a bag for the jewelry. Ally and the small gathering of Chelsea, Libby and Libby's coworkers were in the opposite line in the opposite corner from Barry and Iris.

One of the men had stopped in front of Ally, and roughly snatched her mother's pieces from her hands, before glancing around at the rest of the group, only to notice no one else in the small group had anything worth value and moved down the line.

Barry had watched this happen, and moved slightly, as if he wanted to get the pieces back by force, Ally shook her head at him and mouthed no, before turning to position herself in front of Libby and Chelsea again.

The men made their way down and were about to head for the exit, Barry stepped towards them, his expression hardening as he decided what he wanted to do.

Iris quickly maneuvered herself to stop him, her voice commanding as she spoke, "Don't, Don't." She pulled Barry back to the wall.

"Freeze!" the security guard, obviously new at it, ran out between the two line ups, his gun shaking as he pointed it at all six gunmen. The six men turned simultaneously and all aimed their guns at the guard, who spoke shakily, "D-d-drop your weapons!"

The gunmen each fired one shot towards the man. Ally watched as one of the bullets careened towards the teenage girl, and she quickly reached out for her, pushing the girl to the ground, as Barry took off and grabbed the guard, taking him out of harm's way.

Five of the bullets flew past where the guard had been standing and into the elaborate ice sculpture that was resting on the table. The sixth one hit into and grazed the skin of Ally's shoulder, sending her toppling to the floor as Libby and Chelsea called out her name.

* * *

**STREET | |**

The gunmen ran out of the doors and into a waiting black van, as Barry went running back through the room, not stopping to look, he came to a stop outside, and was once again disorientated, falling against the garbage holder, as the black vehicle took off ahead of him. He panted and groaned, squeezing his eyes shut because of the pain, before he fell, with a thud as his head hit the concrete.

* * *

He woke up to the sound of Iris's voice, "Barry, Barry. Barry!" He jerked backwards, finding that Iris had sat him up against the dumpster, his vision becoming less blurry as he stared at his friend.

"I turned around and you were gone and Ally was shot. What happened? Are you okay?" Iris asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Barry answered, "I… I went after them to try and get the plates."

"Wha—?" Iris spoke incredulously, shaking her head at him.

"And I—I fainted." Barry explained, looking away from Iris and in the direction of the street. "What do you mean Ally was shot?" He asked, worried.

* * *

**BALLROOM| |**

When Barry and Iris entered the room, they first noticed Ally on a stretcher on the other side of the stage, being treated by Chelsea and a few EMT's. Libby and her coworkers stood off to the side, but the mother and teenage daughter that was almost shot, were both blubbering as they hugged one another. Barry resisted the urge to run to Ally, and instead stayed with Iris as they approached Joe and Eddie.

"Hi." Iris greeted both, coming to stop in front of Eddie.

"Iris." Eddie greeted, smiling happily at Iris, who had a similar smile on her face.

"Where were you?" Joe instantly questioned the pair, a blank curious look on his face.

"Dad, go easy." Iris commanded, before turning to Barry, "I found him outside. He fainted."

"You want me to get you a paramedic, Allen?" Eddie offered, trying to be helpful.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks, Eddie." Barry replied, tensely.

"I thought I was dead." The guard spoke to the side of the group of four, and all of them instantly turned their attention to the guard, Barry's eyes were drawn to Ally's form standing up and stumbling towards them, Chelsea let her do it, letting the girl travel all of ten steps. "I saw the gun go off, and then- boom. Suddenly I'm outside. I have no idea how I got there."

"Let me talk to you for a second." Joe commanded Barry, who had a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah." He agreed, as the two took a few steps away from Iris and Eddie, who happily started to converse. Ally, took the last three steps to join him and Joe, and Barry looped an arm easily around her waist to help support her. "What happened to Ally?" Barry asked, as he stared down at the younger woman, frustrated.

"I- I saw the bullet heading for the young girl – Madeline—" Ally explained, stumbling over the words, almost high because of the pain medications the EMT's had given her. "She's Rhonda's daughter, and I pushed her out of the way," Ally giggled a little to herself, "Bullet hit me instead," She giggled to herself again, offering Barry a view of her now stitched up bullet graze wound.

"Ally." Barry groaned, "You aren't bulletproof." He stated, glaring down at her.

"Neither are you," Ally giggled, poking him in the arm, and sticking her tongue out at him.

Joe grabbed her uninjured arm, sighing exasperatedly, before steering her back to sit on the stretcher. He and Barry left her with Chelsea and Libby for the time being. "She'll be fine, Barry, it's just a graze. But I will be discussing this further with her." Joe stated, as the two walked away from where Ally now sat. "And you chased those gunmen, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yeah, they must be the same guys that knocked over the gun shop earlier today." Barry declared, putting his hands into his pockets.

"And what were you going to do when you caught them? Huh? Ask them nicely to pull over?" Joe questioned, glaring at Barry. "You're not bulletproof. Wait. Are you?—" Joe stared at his adoptive son in curiosity.

"No, but—" Barry started to speak.

"Okay. No more heroics." Joe interrupted him, scolding, "Chasing bad guys is not your job. It's mine. You're not a cop. Promise me."

"Promise." Barry relinquished.

"And you know Iris is not stupid. Start making better excuses than "I fainted."" Joe demanded, before starting to walk towards Ally's stretcher again.

"But I—" Barry started, before giving up, and turning to head out to Star labs.

"Chelsea, Libby" Joe greeted, arriving before the two women and giving both hugs, "I'm assuming that both of you have to go back to work, so allow me to take Ally to CCPD." He offered, and the two friends nodded at him.

"I can pick her up later," Chelsea offered, and Joe nodded at her.

"Sounds good." Joe walked over to Ally, who stood up and stumbled towards him, Joe put an arm around her and the two made their way to his car.

* * *

**CCPD LAB | |  
**

Joe helped Ally out of the car and the pair slowly made their way into her and Barry's lab. Joe let Ally sit down in her desk chair before he started his rant.

"Alexa, Barry is a metahuman, you are normal. You are not bulletproof, so why in the world would you try and stop that bullet." Joe went off, glaring down at the girl and daring her to answer.

"I am," Ally spoke, her voice soft, the medication's mental effects had worn off just a few minutes ago.

"What?" Joe asked, flabbergasted.

"I am a metahuman." Ally answered, "You know the female vigilante, White? The one you and Barry told me about?" She asked.

"Yeah," Joe stuttered out.

"That's me." Ally stated, and Joe's eyes almost bugged out of his head. "I've been donning those goggles for a good two and a half months now, so there is no way you are bullying me into stopping now." Joe gave her an incredulous look, "If you don't believe me, my gear is in that tote." Ally offered Joe, gesturing at the white tote bag by the main table.

Joe stalked over to it, and sure enough inside the tote was the costume that White typically wore. "At least you know how to fight. I'm assuming that is your reason for all the bruises and the ash this morning," Joe relinquished, knowing from his past experience with her and parkour that she would not give it up. "Does Barry know?" he asked.

"No, and I don't want him to know, Joe." Ally demanded. "Promise me."

"Alright, I promise," Joe agreed, "but tell me why."

"He would try to get me to stop." Ally explained. "He already is starting to trust White, if I told him now, he would never forgive me for not telling him sooner. The partnership between the two of us would be broken." Ally described, "And this is not something I want to give up, Joe. As White, or whatever people end up calling me, I can inspire people. I want someone to look at me, or at her and be able to say, 'Because of you, I didn't give up.'" Ally finished, leaning back against the chair.

"Alright." Joe agreed again, before watching as the woman slowly drifted off to sleep in still sitting straight up. He chuckled, and muttered something along the lines of 'Typical' before walking to the computer on one of the other desk's and digging through the internet for any mentions of anything along the lines of red streak or white figure.

Eventually, Joe lifted the cover on the two CSI's map to find the cork board littered with articles from Barry's mother's murder.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry arrived at Star labs shortly after leaving from the Stagg event. He was seated on their medical bed, as Cisco and Wells were in front of him, Cisco collecting medical data.

"You lied to us." Caitlin scolded him, stalking to stand behind Barry. "How could you not tell us you're experiencing dizzy spells? We're your doctors." She demanded, her arms flailing in the air a little as she paced around, behind Barry's back. "God knows what's going on inside your body." She walked around the bed to stare down the speedster, "Your cells are in a constant state of flux. You could be experiencing cardiopulmonary failure or a transient ischemic attack." Barry gave her a blank stare, not recognizing the term and turned to look at Harrison.

"Mini stroke." Harrison explained, smiling at the young man, "Probably not."

"You of all people should know that in science, we share." Caitlin scolded, "We do not keep secrets." She strode away, her heels clicking angrily past the bed, as Barry's face fell, resignation dripping from his expression.

"Wow," Cisco stated, "I haven't seen anyone make her that angry since Ronnie." He handed Harrison the tablet they had Barry's data on, before following the woman outside of the medical setup.

"Ronnie was Caitlin's fiancé?" Barry asked Harrison, curiously, "The one that died the night of the accelerator explosion?"

"Yeah." The wheelchair bound doctor replied, "He is missed." Barry looked away, "Now, Let's figure out why this is happening to you."

* * *

The scientist had set up a treadmill inside one of the closed rooms, with a windowed viewing area. Behind the treadmill, Cisco had taped together a wall of boxes, Cisco reentered the room, the door shutting with a click behind him.

"We're all set." Cisco spoke, as Barry stepped down from the treadmill and walked over to the cardboard wall, he stared at it, worried, "A little padding. Just in case." Cisco stated, before walking around it.

"Yeah." Barry replied as Cisco walked through the door to the viewing booth, joining Caitlin and Wells inside. "You're sure about this, Cisco?" Barry asked, stepping back up on the treadmill.

"Most home treadmills have a maximum speed of about 12 miles per hour," Cisco explained over the microphone in the booth. "This one has been Cisco'ed. Trust me. It can handle your speed." He finished, as Wells initialized the health trackers and turned on the treadmill.

"Okay." Barry replied, as he started to walk and then ran faster and faster.

"Heart rate, blood pressure, nerve conduction all normal." Caitlin read off their display monitor.

"For Barry." Harrison added, looking it over as well.

"Brainwave function within standard limits." Caitlin continued, before being interrupted by a triumphant laugh from Cisco.

"I told you the treadmill could take it." He declared, a giant grin on his face as he watched it work in front of him.

"Caitlin." Wells gestured to the display, having spotted the problem, "Look at the glucose levels."

"Oh, my God. Of course." Caitlin sighed, almost groaning at the realization that it was something so simple.

"Right?" Harrison asked.

"It was so obvious." Caitlin groaned, as Cisco peered at the screen from the opposite end of the table.

"Glucose levels." Harrison concluded, before turning the mic on, "Barry! We think we know why you keep—" before he could finish his sentence, Barry's motion stopped and he flew into the boxes filled with packing peanuts with a thud, the treadmill slowing down automatically with a whir, as Caitlin grimaced. "—passing out." Wells finished, realizing the irony of the situation.

* * *

With a groan, Barry sat up from the bed, "I passed out again?" He asked, as Cisco and Caitlin helped him get up from the bed.

"Total metabolic failure brought on by acute hypoglycemia." Caitlin explained.

"I'm not eating enough." Barry concluded looking at Caitlin, "So an I.V. bag and I'm good to go?" he asked, turning to look at Cisco, who scoffed and put his hand on Barry's back turning the speedster around to give him a view of all the drained IV bags.

"Try 40." Harrison announced, drawing Barry's attention, as he sighed, "Guess you were thirsty." He joked, straight faced as he lifted his cup to drink from it.

"We're gonna need to fashion you a new diet based on your metabolic changes." Caitlin explained to Barry, before walking off to her desk.

"I've done a few calculations." Cisco stated, coming around Barry, to lift a finger into the air, "You need to consume an amount equal to roughly 850 tacos," he concluded, and Barry's jaw dropped a little, before Cisco had a revelation, "Unless we're talking cheese and guac, which is like a whole other set of equations." Barry's head moved forwards and back laughing mentally at the absurdity of the statement.

"For Mexican, I recommend Tito's." Joe stated, drawing Harrison, Caitlin and Barry's attention, as he entered the cortex, "On Bruckner Avenue?" Caitlin gave a confused glance to Harrison, "Best burrito in the city."

"Detective West." Harrison drawled, "What brings you to STAR Labs?" Barry leaned up against one of the end of the medical bed, fully expecting a lecture, his facial expression turning sour and hard.

"When you didn't come back to Ally's and your lab," Joe explained, pointing at Barry as he walked around the main desk, Barry looked at his adoptive father apprehensively, "I started doing a little research. Turns out there's been reports of a red streak," Joe looked around the room meeting Caitlin's eyes, before looking to Barry as Caitlin fixed Barry with a smug look, Barry looking away from both, "and a white figure around the city, stopping muggers, rescuing people from burning buildings." He asked, acting like he didn't think Barry already knew this all.

"You," Harrison started, before turning his chair to face Barry, "didn't tell him we, and White, were working together?" He asked Barry.

"Joe, I can explain." Barry sighed, formulating his words before looking up at Joe.

"You already have a job in law enforcement, Barry." Joe reminded Barry, pausing deliberately on each word. "With Ally, and I suggest you get back to it."

"Mm-hmm." Caitlin smirked, smug, as Joe looked to her confused by the action, "Don't look at me." She froze for a second, think he was angry at her before explaining, "I'm on your side."

"Detective." Harrison started, as Barry glanced at his feet, "We all want what's best for Barry." Wells stared directly at Joe.

"If you wanted what was best for Barry, you'd try to talk him out of this lunacy instead of encouraging him going out there risking his life, alongside that woman." Joe struggled not to yell at the man, his mouth's ends threatening to curl into a snarl.

"You saw a man control the weather." Barry stated, drawing Joe's attention, looking at the detective incredulously, "What are the police gonna do against someone like that?" He asked, as it was a true sentiment, "Since the accelerator explosion we suspect there may be more like him. Including White who we both saw help me, who can fly and bend the air to her whim." Barry concluded.

"You don't even know her real name." Joe threw the barb, hoping Ally never figured out he said that, "And you're gonna help her do what? Catch them? Are you insane? You think because you can run real fast that you're invincible? You're not! You're just a kid." Joe claimed, "My kid." Harrison looked to Barry.

"I'm not your kid, Joe." Barry exclaimed, getting angry, "And you're not my father." He stated, Joe's eyes starting to water from the statements, before closing the gates, accepting it in his own mind. "My father's sitting in Iron Heights. Wrongfully convicted." Barry explained, before standing up, and stalking slowly towards Joe. "You were wrong about him. And you're wrong about this. Now I may not be able to help him, but if I can help her save someone from a burning building or stop some armed thieves, I'm gonna do it. And you can't stop me." Barry yelled, facing down Joe, who stared at him like he didn't know him. "So don't try." Barry finished, and Joe looked away, not wanting to accidentally show Barry his tears.

"You think you're so smart." Joe spoke, his voice soft and raw, making Barry close his eyes, in order to not look at him, "All of you. But you don't know what you don't know." Joe told the rest of the group, looking between all four's faces, who all had dejected but determined looks crossing over them, "And I hope that you are clever enough to figure it out before" He gestured to Harrison, speaking directly to him, before pointing to Barry, "somebody gets killed." Barry glanced at his feet, angry and frustrated with the way the day had played out. Joe gave Barry and Caitlin each one last hard look, before turning and walking out of the building the same way he came in.

Barry put a hand behind him, grasping the piece of metal, and leaned back against it. He let out a small huff, but knew that this was not a crusade he wanted to halt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to omit Barry’s flashbacks in full, as well as Danton confronting the security guy for Stagg. I think this is already long enough without those scenes, seeing as on word, with double spaces it is 30+ pages and 9K+ words long.  
> So couple things- curious to know if anyone has an idea for a ship name for Ally & Barry. Also if there are any scenes that you think would be cool to read from the past – already planning on the senior prom, the night after graduation which may be a big plot point. Thinking about their first day at CCPD as well. Ally’s official superhero name will be revealed in the next chapter. Let me know what you all thought –please, I’m begging you!


	8. Failure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: See, I got it up! And you all get to hear Ally's hero name for the first time. much larger A/N at bottom.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything but Ally, Libby, Chelsea and Josh and their families.

**CCPD FORENSICS LAB | October 15** **th** **, 2014 |**

Last night, Ally had practically passed out on her bed as soon as her head hit the pillow. But before she hit the hay, she phoned Barry and managed to get some of the details of the rest of his night, as well as a small lecture about danger. As an apology, she was carrying three boxes of freshly made donuts into the station, barely managing to hold them and her tote. Even though it was a stereotype that all cops like donuts, Ally had to shield the boxes as she made her way through the lobby. She carried her haul up into the lab, and then dropped the boxes on the table in the middle of the room by Barry, before heading to put her stuff at her desk.

Barry had looked up and caught the sight of his partner and struggled not to smile. He wanted to remain mad at her for what she did, but unfortunately it had always been hard for him to do so with Ally. When he tried to give up on her some odd summers ago, he had learned that. It was a sad but always present fact that Barry Allen loved—

"Donuts?" Josh had peeked his head through the doorway as Barry froze in his thoughts. "Aw— Ally cakes, you shouldn't have." Josh sauntered into the room, making a beeline for the short girl, who was just shrugging her coat off, and eyeing the pile of boxes. Barry glared at the intruding man, who paid him little, to no attention, instead coming to stop beside the blonde, and immediately using her head as an arm rest.

"Joshua." Ally glared up at him, and Barry looked away from the pair, feeling like an intruder. "They're for Barry, not you. And what did I tell you!" She exclaimed, moving out from underneath Josh's elbow to glare up at him.

"No annoying you…" Josh trailed off, "But you like it when I do." He continued, reaching out and bopping the girl's nose as she made a playful face of disgust at him, he smiled before his eyes sought out Barry's, having noticed the other man's continued stare. "Do you mind if I take one…?" He asked, a giant hopeful look on his face.

"Sure, go for it, help yourself." Barry relinquished dejectedly, dodging Ally's pointed look.

"Thanks man!" Josh cried, hurriedly grabbing a donut and half running out of the door with it.

Ally let out a huff, and walked to Barry, stopping a foot away, "You aren't still mad at me, are you?" She asked, her eyes pleading for Barry to say no.

"No, but you know that was reckless, right?" Barry asked, reaching his hand out to land on her shoulder.

"Is it anymore reckless than what you or that woman run around doing," Ally asked pointedly, not daring to think on how she was comparing herself to well, herself.

"That's different, Ally." Barry replied.

"Not really," Ally scrunched her nose up at him, "I brought you donuts?" She half sung, gesturing to them, as Barry let out a soft chuckle.

"As I heard," He teased, before promptly opening a box and looking at her, "I don't think I've ever told you these were my favorites." He looked at her, playfully suspicious, receiving a light punch to the shoulder.

"Liar." Ally scoffed, as the two proceeded to munch, starting out their work day.

* * *

The pair of CSI's had easily settled into their working space, falling into the continuous rhythm of clacking keyboards and rolling of chairs, as they processed evidence. Barry got up and made his way over to the table, where all three boxes were now empty, as Ally stood up from her own desk.

Barry looked to the entrance as he heard work boots hit the floor, he grunted, catching sight of Joe, "Come to yell at me again?" Barry asked, barely looking to the man. Ally looked to Joe, and caught his resigned smile, and flashed the man a small one of her own.

"Simon Stagg's head of security was murdered last night." Joe came to stand at the head of the table, his voice almost trailing off as he noticed the boxes, "The coroner took some skin samples." He looked up to Barry and handed him the case write up, "Hopefully they belong to the killer. See if you can find a match." Joe started to turn halfway away from the pair before being interrupted.

"Can't be a coincidence that Stagg's benefit was attacked last night." Barry put the pieces together, holding the file loosely in his gloved hands, as Joe turned back to face the two.

"I'm going to interview Stagg now," Joe stated before turning to Ally, "Ally, Singh wants me to take you with me, seeing as you have a psychology major."

"I'll come with you." Barry offered, watching out of the corner of his eye as Ally hurried to her desk to collect her things.

"Your job is in here. Stay in here and do it." Joe demanded at Barry, pointing at him.

"See you later, Barry," Ally offered, giving Barry a soft smile, as she hefted her tote onto her shoulder, passing by her best friend.

"Hey, Dad, Ally," Iris greeted, walking into the lab, a to-go cup of coffee in hand. Barry made his way over to one of the tables, and started messing with the evidence he had just received.

"Hey 'Ris" Ally greeted, smiling at her friend. Iris looked at Ally's shoulder warily.

"Hey, baby," Joe greeted, kissing his daughter on the cheek, "We gotta go." He declared, as Ally barely managed to keep up as they turned the corner.

"Why is my dad mad at you?" Iris demanded stopping at one of the desks, staring at Barry's back, he glanced over his shoulder at her and looked back at his work before replying.

"Work stuff." Barry offered, noncommittally before turning back around and picking up on her pinched features and her angry stance. "Why are you mad at me?" He asked, cautiously.

"You were supposed to meet me at Jitters to give me some scientific background for my article." Iris nodded to herself, annoyed.

"And I didn't show up." Barry sighed, turning back to the lab equipment as he remembered that agreement, pulling off his latex gloves with a snap.

"And now I have to come up with a new article topic in 24 hours or I fail the assignment." Iris informed Barry, rolling her eyes as she did so.

"Iris, I—" Barry started, turning and starting to approach her.

"Don't say that you're sorry." Iris interrupted him, glaring, "Okay, I know that you are. What I don't know is what is going on with you."

Barry sighed, and Iris continued, "We grew up one bedroom down from each other. Do you honestly think that I don't know when you're happy?" she asked, searching his face for any answers before ripping open a pack of sugar to add to her coffee, "Or sad or depressed or lost? I'm gonna ask you one last time, Barry Allen, and you better be honest with me." She started, taking the cup off of the cup and tilting the packet towards the cup, "What the—"

Barry took off, using his speed to talk as the sugar granules slowly fell into the cup, and he stopped to Iris's right, hands coming up. "You want to know what's happening." He asked rhetorically, before travelling to her other side, hands coming up almost horizontally to the floor. "I'm fast now." He went back to the other side, "God, I just want to tell you. But I promised your dad I wouldn't." He finished, before going back to his spot directly in front of Iris, "So I can't." He finished, softer. As time fell back into its normal speed.

"–Hell is going on with you?" Iris finished her statement from earlier, the sugar falling easily into her cup. From behind Barry the machine beeped, making him turn around, to go to it. "We are not done talking about this." Iris immediately demanded, walking around the desk to stop to his side.

"That's impossible." Barry muttered, staring at the evidence's results. Iris looked at him confused, and Barry elaborated, "There was a murder last night. These skin cells belong to the murderer, but these cells are naive. Stem cells that they can replicate and become any cell the body needs." He continued, still staring at the screen, while Iris's remained perplexed, "They only come from babies." He stated.

"This means your killer is what, a newborn?" Iris asked incredulously.

* * *

**STAGG INDUSTRIES | October 15** **th** **, 2014 |**

Joe and Eddie stepped out of the police car, Eddie coming around to open Ally's door. She smiled at him, before joking, "Thanks, felt like I was being arrested back there." Joe snorted and shook his head, as Eddie looked at the other blonde in puzzlement. "Sorry," Ally ducked her head, grin sliding off of her face, and the three made their way up the pavement to the warehouse entry of Stagg Industries.

Simon Stagg, let them in, and Joe quickly explained the situation, Ally and Eddie trailing him slowly as the small group started to walkthrough the warehouse floor, Simon in the middle, as Joe and Eddie flanked him, and Ally stood to the other side of Joe.

"You honestly think that someone wants to kill me?" Simon asked, his face revealing to Ally just how absurd he thought the situation was.

"Well, we're not sure, Mr. Stagg, but an event you were being honored at was robbed at gunpoint." Eddie told the man,

"And your head of security was found murdered this morning." Joe elaborated, the file for the case in his hand, as they strolled.

"I am a scientist and a philanthropist. We're not often the targets of assassins." Stagg countered.

"Well, what about lawsuits?" Ally asked, pointedly staring at the foolhardy man, "You got about 20 of those pending against you." She insisted, as Eddie nodded in confirmation.

"It is a sad fact of life, Miss," Stagg started, peering around Joe to look at her as they took a turn and stopped in the middle of the stacks, "that when you earn a lot of money, people who haven't think they can take yours." He explained.

"People like this guy, for example?" Joe offered, reaching into the folder to pull out one of the suspect photos, "Danton Black?" he held the photo up for the scientist.

"Danton Black." Stagg lingered on the name, reaching out to take the piece of paper.

"You fired him. Now he's suing you." Joe informed the scientist. Ally caught the whir of an elevator from above, but marked it off as an employee moving around.

"Unfortunately, our working relationship wasn't successful, but I can assure you both of one thing. Danton Black," Stagg insisted, as Ally watched his face for any signs of dishonesty, he held up the photo to Joe, "Is not a killer. He's a clinical researcher, not a criminal mastermind." He concluded, before trying to walk past Joe, who shared a glance with Ally and Eddie. "Now, if I can help you in any way, please let me know. I want these people caught as much as you." Stagg offered, looking all three in the eye.

"Then here we are!" The group was interrupted by the sight of three gunmen, dressed in the same attire as last time. They raised their guns to point at the scientist, as Joe shouted "Down!" and wrapped an arm over Ally's shoulders, forcing her into a duck. Eddie lunged out to grab Simon's arm, as the man was staring shocked at the gunmen.

Gunshots rang out as Eddie pushed Simon in front of him, retreating to get behind a lineup of four barrels, and Eddie forcing the man down. Joe and Ally following closely, both of their heads ducked down as they ran. The gunmen advanced, and Joe handed Ally his spare gun, both of them shooting off a couple before they also went behind the barrels. The gunmen walked faster towards them, shooting the barrels all the while, now running closer, as the four targets huddled behind the barrels.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

Barry had come down the stairs, and suddenly found that the whole station was urgently moving and chattering away. Barry watched as some of the officers swung on the heavy duty vests and loaded their guns, rushing past him to get to the door. He looked frantically around himself, trying to find out what caused the commotion, as he paced through the lobby towards Singh's office. More of the officers swung on their vests and Barry bit at his cheek, watching them run out the door. He saw Singh, fastening his own vest and quickly asked, "Captain, what's going on?"

"Not now, Barry." Singh, replied, still working on the vest, as he pushed past Barry, "An armed gunman is shooting up Stagg industries."

Barry processed the statement, frozen in his tracks before it hit him, "Joe and Ally are there." He spoke to himself, before moving with super speed back into his lab, quickly opening his locker up, revealing it's contents, a duffel bag and on the door a picture of Ally and him and their shared friends altogether, from Ally's 23rd birthday. Ignoring the picture, Barry unzipped the duffel and snatched his suit out of it, his face determined.

* * *

All four of them were still huddled behind the barrels, but they all knew it wouldn't be a good spot much longer. The gunfire kept on, and Ally shared a look with Joe, silently telling him that she couldn't do anything with Eddie and Stagg still there, but her hand holding her tote to her side all the same. Joe turned to put a hand on Stagg's shoulder, turning to look at Eddie.

"Get him out of here." He demanded, before turning to look at Ally's determined face, "I'll—we'll cover you. Ready? Go." He told his partner, as both he and Ally popped up to level their guns at the rapidly approaching gunmen. Eddie easily maneuvered himself and Stagg back and around the side of the stacks, heading for the exit.

Joe managed to get a good shot into the shoulder of one of the men, the man's gun sliding across the concrete as Ally barely missed one of the others. A shot hit the top of their shelter and they both ducked down. Peering out from the small gap in the barrels, Ally and Joe caught the sight of one of the other men ripping off their masks, revealing Danton Black, who shook and grunted as he split himself into two men. He grunted, and the other still moving clone ripped his own mask off as the original let out a groan. The clone picked up the fallen gun and all three pointing them at the barrel once more, pacing forwards.

Ally and Joe shared a look, and Joe shook his head at her, before they both scrambling to look away from the men, instead sitting against the barrels, as the men fired away. Joe peered around and Ally caught the sound of super speed as Barry entered. Joe watched as the red streak stripped the men of their guns, before stopping in front of them, dropping all three guns.

"Go." Barry commanded staring down at both Joe and Ally, who started at him.

"No." They both declared, shaking their heads in unison. Barry sighed to himself, before reaching and grabbing both of them, traveling through the exit and depositing them there, the door swinging shut behind him as he sped back into the warehouse.

Ally let out a disgruntled noise, before looking around them and spotting a janitors closet, she gave Joe a look of 'don't you dare stop me' before whipping it open and stepping inside, only to burst out a moment later as White. Joe watched her go back into the warehouse, and let out a defeated sigh.

* * *

Ally flew over the stacks, searching to find Barry, she caught the sound of his voice, and headed that way.

"Whoever you are, give yourself up." Barry demanded as he stared down the gunmen.

"Sorry." The middle man stated, "We are not going anywhere." All of them joined in, speaking in perfect unison, "Until Simon Stagg is dead."

Ally landed behind Barry, as the speedster forcefully plowed through two of the men with a grunt. The middle man growled, noticing both White and the Man in Red and split himself into more clones, three going towards Barry, and six others attacking White.

Barry kicked out at his men, using his speed to propel his leg, downing some of them, as White scooped up a piece of metal, using it as a staff to disorient and debilitate two of the men. Barry punched one of the men, and the force made two clones pop out from him. Ally swung the staff, using her air to send a few of the men flying with one of the blows. One of the clones facing her quickly got a hold of the staff and used it to flip her onto her back, as one of the one's behind Barry punched him in the back, almost sending him to the ground as well. But he recovered, attacking the now five men surrounding him, grunting the entire time.

White jumped to her feet and tried to blow back the clones. She managed to push three of them away but the others kept attacking as she was forced to counter using her hands, using aikido to throw them. There were too many of them, and while she was distracted, one landed a solid blow in the exact spot that she had been shot the day before. She let out a loud groan of pain, and backed herself into the wall, as the other men took up places surrounding her.

Barry found himself forced to his hands and knees, and almost immediately the men began kicking wherever they could reach, pummeling him as he struggled to get away from the punches. The men finally picking him up and launching him into a stack of cardboard cylinders.

White noticed, and yelped out "Red!" as she countered the blow that one of the men tried to land on her brow-bone, sending all of her opponents back forcefully with a whoosh of air blown.

Barry groaned, as he sat himself up, and found himself with three guns pointed at his head and noticing White stuck in a stalemate with the other men. With a grunt, he took off, and as the three guns released their bullets, he scooped up White, running both of them out of the building. He paused for a moment to catch his breath besides a gate, greedily sucking in air, as he noticed the other vigilante was relatively unharmed.

White took a couple steps away from him before looking over her shoulder at him, "You should go get those cleaned." she demanded, before she took a leap up into the air and flew away, vanishing into the city's skyline.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Ally had changed inside her apartment, having gotten her tote bag out of the janitor's closet at Stagg industries. Caitlin sent her a text to say that they had Barry, and as soon as she received it, she flew out of the apartment, landing outside of the view of the surveillance cameras at Star Labs. She practically flew, running of course, to the cortex. She came to a skidding stop besides the entrance, and quickly ran her hand through her windswept hair, before entering the room.

"You got blood on my suit." Ally overheard Cisco state, as she approached the wheelchair bound doctor, watching as Cisco turned with a headlamp on his head to show Barry a piece of fabric which had some blood on it. Ally stopped besides Harrison, still staring at where Barry was being treated, as the oldest scientist gave her a slight knowing grin.

"I think some of it belongs to him. Another not-so-friendly meta-human." Barry replied frustratedly to Cisco, as Cisco turned and walked away.

"Danton Black." Ally offered up the name, as Harrison turned on the TV to display the man's face and Barry looked to Ally from his perch on the chair, his expression turning into one of relief, as she looked in good condition. Barry's face hardened as he turned his attention to the screen instead.

Harrison elaborated for Ally, as both of them turned to face Barry, "He's a bio-geneticist who specializes in therapeutic cloning." Harrison offered, "Growing new organs to replace failing ones."

"Apparently Stagg stole his research and then fired him." Caitlin added, looking between Harrison and Barry as she spoke, from her position on the other side of Barry.

"I knew Stagg was lying." Ally muttered, her arms coming to cross over her ribs, before she winced at the slight pull on her shoulder that the movement caused.

"I saw Black create duplicates from his own body." Barry stood up, and told the group, walking towards Ally and Harrison.

"So did me and Joe," Ally confirmed, before hugging her partner, as he came to stand beside her. He slowly cased over her as she did the same, both assuring themselves that the other was unharmed.

"That's pretty ironic." Cisco scoffed, as he now stared at the picture on the screen, Barry and Ally both looked at him, as Ally took a small step away from Barry, now assured that he was intact, "The guy specialized in cloning and now he can make xeroxes of himself."

"If he was experimenting on himself," Harrison continued, "when he was exposed to the dark matter wave released by the particle accelerator explosion—"

"Meet Captain Clone." Cisco interrupted, looking pleased with himself, as everyone else shook their heads, "Don't worry. I'll come up with something cooler."

Barry started to walk away, and Caitlin and Aly instantly reacted, in unison asking, "Where are you going?"

"Joe was right." Barry explained, turning to face all of them, "I'm in way over my head." He continued, as Ally gave him a sympathetic look, "Yeah, I'm fast, but I am no warrior, I'm not White." Barry stated, and Ally looked down at her feet, "She took on six of those men without getting pummeled. I could barely fight one meta-human, let alone six." He turned to go, but barely made it a few steps away before Harrison called out.

"Barry. I understand. Today was a setback." Harrison spoke, making Barry raise his eyebrows, scoffing to himself a little, as Ally watched, "But any grand enterprise has them. And we can never learn to fly without crashing a few times." Wells offered, and from behind him he overheard a small mutter of "Isn't that right," from Ally, that went unnoticed by the others.

"This wasn't a grand enterprise, Dr. Wells. This was a mistake." Barry stated, turning to leave, a sense of finality in his tone. He looked over his shoulder, as if to ask if Ally wanted to go with him, but she gave him a sad shake of the head. Barry looked back forwards and took slow steps outside of the cortex and then took off in super speed.

Ally watched him leave, and fought not to call him back. She wanted to comfort him, but she had told herself the other night that she should talk to the Star Labs employees. Ally heard the crack of a can being opened behind her, and turned to find Cisco lifting the can of orange soda up to his mouth. Catching the whir of Harrison's tires, she looked to the scientist and he turned to face her.

"So Ally," Wells began, addressing the blonde woman, "or should I say White, have something to share with the class," Harrison asked her, a casual nonchalant tone of in his voice as Ally was forced to gape openly at him. Harrison forced back a smirk as Cisco spat out his sip of orange soda and Caitlin's mouth practically hit the floor.

"H-How did you know that?" Ally sputtered, as Cisco wiped the orange soda off of his mouth behind her.

"I had my suspicions," Harrison replied, "But I believe what did it was seeing through Barry's suit's camera, that White almost went down because of a strike to her shoulder." He continued, "And you see, that doesn't make sense, as why would she have an injury in the same spot as you. And seeing as Barry got his powers the night the particle accelerator went up, it would make sense that White, or you, did to." Harrison finished, watching the woman cautiously as to see how she would react.

"No way—" Cisco muttered, as he walked to the now shell shocked blonde. "So that means you are her!" he exclaimed, before spotting a pensive look as Caitlin took over.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner, we are your doctors too," Caitlin scolded, rushing to shake Ally's jacket off of her to look at her wounds.

"The less people that know, the better," Ally offered, "But that is apparently going to crap, seeing as almost everyone in my life other than Barry, Iris, Eddie and Josh now know my secret." She let out a huffing breath as Caitlin pulled her to sit on the vacant medical bed. "I should have told you guys earlier, as it was a good idea to tell you all," She spoke, smiling at the older woman, "I probably should get a new suit and I've been meaning to ask Cisco to add some capabilities to my staff." She explained, and gave a look over the fussing doctor to Harrison to tell the man 'no hard feelings'.

"What did you want me to do, Flight-risk?" Cisco offered, smiling as he had come up with a possible name for the woman's persona.

"No." The others all chimed, and Cisco's head dropped. Caitlin had worked Ally's jacket off and had rolled the girl's sleeves up to find the large array of bruises and cuts.

"Sorry Cisco, but it's not very good," Ally apologized, before letting out a gasp as Caitlin swabbed her wounds with alcohol. "Is this a bad time to tell you that I've also been patrolling the streets nightly for the past, oh let's say three months?" She asked and was immediately met by a groan from Caitlin.

"Doctor Wells," Ally addressed, "Caitlin, Cisco," She looked to each in turn, "I'm afraid I need to ask you all not to tell Barry about this." Ally demanded. "Please."

"Alright," Harrison agreed, as his employee's nodded in agreement. "Any reason why?" He asked, hoping to learn a piece of information from the girl.

"I don't want him to try and stop me from fighting, or to worry about me anymore in the field." Ally told the man, "Also if he found out now, he would never trust either me again, and that's not something I want to go through, especially now that he is starting to trust White." She explained, and Harrison nodded in satisfaction, he could use that in the future. Cisco and Caitlin nodded, although both of them thought that Ally should tell him.

Harrison wheeled out of the cortex as Cisco walked over to his small lab to reveal his most recent project. Ally—or White—'s, new suit. It was sitting on a mannequin he had created from the image capture of the woman, from Barry's suit camera. It was a one piece jump suit, that had an almost color blocked design, and was mostly white and had some elements of a light sky blue along the side of the body, notably on the collar and shoulders, before cutting a curved path down the torso and both legs. ( **A/N: Based of Agents of Shields – Mockingjay suit, but in a color scheme like Kim Possible's jumpsuit in the movie – so the drama** ).

* * *

**JITTERS | |**

Barry skittered to a stop on the pavement, his shoes' soles sparking with the energy of friction. He looked around to make sure nobody had seen him appear out of nowhere, before walking into Jitters.

Eddie and Iris were inside, standing side-by-side and watching the news, as Barry approached them.

"Detective, was the gunman apprehended?" The reporter on the screen asked Eddie, the video having been taken just the gunning at Stagg Industries.

"The shooter's whereabouts are unknown at this time. We consider him armed and extremely dangerous." Eddie stated to the reporter before taking his leave, "Thank you. No more questions."

Iris turned the TV off, and she and Eddie looked at each other, both smiling. They were about to kiss when Barry spoke up, making both of them turn around to face him.

"Nice work, Eddie." Barry complimented.

"Nah." Eddie disagreed, "Right place, right time." Sighing to himself, as Iris reached up to brush te wrinkles off of his shoulder.

"No," Barry spoke, "you were a hero today." He gave Eddie a slight smile, almost forced.

"CCPD still has a killer on the loose." Eddie told Barry, before turning to Iris, "I should get back to the precinct."

"Okay." Iris consented, before she closed the distance between Eddie and herself, and they kissed. Eddie left friendly patting Barry's shoulder.

Barry watched the other man leave, and was drawn back to face Iris by her voice, "So did you come here for caffeine, or are you finally gonna tell me what's going on with you?"

* * *

**CCPD | |**

Inside of CCPD, Joe walked besides Stagg, trying to persuade the man to agree with him. "Mr. Stagg, I wish you would reconsider our offer for protective custody. Danton Black has proven he is willing to kill, and he's got, uh" Joe paused, not wanting to give away that the Danton had powers, he gestured his hand out, trying to find a better word, "Friends. And trust me, they're all dangerous."

The two came to a stop and Stagg began to argue his case, "I've increased my security, Detective. I hope black comes looking for trouble. 'Cause he'll find plenty." The man had an almost viscous look in his eyes, and Joe stared at it questionably, before both he and Simon were interrupted by clapping, both immediately turned to the source and were met by the sight of Doctor Wells, clapping over his head.

"Spoken like a true philanthropist." Wells mocked, before moving his chair into the lobby. "Or is it humanitarian? Ah. I'm sorry. I can never remember which one you're pretending to be, Simon." He offered the man a smug smirk.

"Harrison," Simon greeted, before being interrupted by the elevator dinging, "Don't get up."

"Ha-ha!" Wells laughed sarcastically, and the other scientist entered the elevator, pushing the buttons to get out of the police department, giving Joe a nod.

"Another fan of yours, Doctor?" Joe asked, pointing at the now closing elevator, as if confused by the two's banter.

"Can we talk, Detective?" Harrison asked, and Joe nodded, the two men walked and Harrison hinted that he knew about Ally as well.

"So you were right." Joe stated, rubbing at his head, as the two men rolled and strolled through the lobby, their backs to the mural, which read 'CENTRAL CITY POLICE' and 'TRUTH LIBERTY JUSTICE'. "Barry and Ally are not the only one who are special." Joe shrugged out of his coat before continuing, "This guy that tried to kill Simon Stagg today, he could—" Joe started, before being interrupted.

"Replicate spontaneously," the wheelchair bound scientist, looking up at the detective from his seat. "Yeah, we know." He finished, as Joe came to a stop at his desk, laying his coat on the chair.

"Did you know about them?" Joe asked, referring to his adoptive son and the girl who was practically like a second daughter to him. Harrison came to a stop in front of him, and Joe took a seat on his desk, watching the other man, "When they were first in their comas, you came to the hospital, and you asked me and Ally's family if you could take them to Star Labs." Joe continued, his expression growing suspicious, as Wells nodded, confirming those actions, "Did you know what they could do?"

Harrison let out a nervous chuckle, which Joe returned a little softer, before throwing his arms behind his head and responding, "I had my suspicions that he was—" Harrison paused, "affected."

"Mm-hmm." Joe murmured back, reaching for his watch.

"Hey, Joe," Harrison started, his hands coming down for one to land on his chair's armrest, propped up, and the other leaned down against the other armrest, "I was never looking to become the senior member of a secret crime fighting unit." He told the man, before using a finger to gesture between himself and Joe, "You and I both know we are the only ones equipped to protect Central City."

Joe let out a disinterested look before claiming, "Maybe I'm more interested in protecting Ally and Barry. Ally, even without you helping her, is set on continuing, and I know her, and I accept that." Joe offered, "But, of course Barry's all set to fly into the fire right along with you." He glared at Harrison, who had picked up a metal spherical paperweight off of his desk.

"No, he's not." Harrison informed him, playing with the paperweight, "Not anymore. He quit." He continued, before setting the paperweight back down, "He didn't tell you?" Harrison realized, looking up at the Detective's disappointed expression.

Joe shook his head left to right before replying, as if the words hurt him, "I haven't seen him."

"Well I'm sure it's only temporary." Harrison offered, "From what I know of Barry, when he sets his mind to something," He took in a slight breath as he paused. "No one's gonna talk him out of it. But the next time he suits up," another pause, as he held up his head and used it to symbolize Barry's speed, "Fshh! Runs headlong into danger." Harrison told the detective, "He will fail. Why? He doesn't think he's capable. Doubt," he explained, "Is his real enemy. Joe, not whatever's lurking out there." Joe's face softened, knowing that the scientist was right, "And as long as you continue to doubt him, he'll keep doubting himself." Harrison turned, getting ready to roll away, before pausing, "And for the record I care about both of them, too." He wheeled his way out of the police department, as Joe watched him leave, a resigned look taking over his features.

* * *

**JITTERS | |**

Barry wiped the crumbs off of his mouth, chewing on the last bite of one of eight cleared plates in front of him. He had his phone on the table.

"Guess you were hungry." Iris teased from behind him, as holding a glass of water, as she approached the table.

"Stress eating." Barry offered as an excuse, watching as his friend slowly sank down into the chair to his right.

"Ah," Iris offered, as she hit the seat, and looked at her friend. "How is Ally doing?" Iris asked, remembering that her other friend had been with her boyfriend and father during the shooting instance.

"She's doing alright," Barry told Iris, smiling a little.

"That's good." Iris stated, before her gaze at Barry turned expectant.

"I came to say I'm sorry." Barry told Iris, who placed her arms crossed on the table, leaning onto the table, "And you're right. I have been distant." Barry confirmed.

"Correct." Iris gave Barry a prodding look.

"Kind of a jerk." Barry admitted, looking to the table, as he swallowed the last bite.

"You should apologize more often." Iris teased, making Barry look up at her, "You are really sensational at it."

"Hmm." Barry added, giving her a look of 'you stink'.

"Hmm. So," Iris started, "What were you going to tell me the other day?"

"I thought I had to do something." Barry told Iris, talking about being a hero, "Something I thought was important, but it turns out that I'm not very good at it." Iris looked down and back up at him, "But what I am good at is being your friend." Barry continued, before offering, "So if you need help coming up with a new topic for your article—"

"I found one. "Something that actually interests me." Iris told Barry, getting up to go to her laptop, "I know this is gonna sound crazy, It's been all over the Internet this week." She spoke as she turned the laptop to face where Barry had sat, as Barry got up out of his sea to come look, "At a building fire, One of the people rescued mentioned being whooshed outside and something about a woman who could control the air, At a bank heist," Iris listed off, clicking through the news articles, "Even the other night when those robbers shot at the security guard, he said he was whooshed outside. Something out there is saving people."

"I thought you were taking journalism." Barry started, scared, "Not science fiction writing."

"Ever since I have known you, and Ally," Iris stated, looking in disbelief up at Barry, "you both have believed in the impossible. What if you guys were right? What if you were right about the night that your mom died?" she asked, and Barry was about to speak when he was interrupted by his phone vibrating, and the screen read STAR Labs. Barry clicked answer, stepped away from Iris and held the phone up to his ear.

"Look, I told you I'm through." He spoke harshly through the phone.

"I know, but you need to get to Star Labs right now." Caitlin's voice demanded, a tone of urgency in her voice.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Cisco had given Ally the new suit, and she was wearing it, her staff extended as she stared down a copy of Danton Black, Cisco and Caitlin on either sides of her. She had taken her white hooded shirt and put it on underneath the suit, and used it with her goggles again. Caitlin had just hung up the phone, when Barry rushed in, looking around to find 'Ally' had left and immediately grabbing Cisco and Caitlin and speeding them away from Danton, falling into a fighting stance opposite Danton Black, besides White.

"Barry, it's okay." Caitlin confronted the speedster, trying to calm him down as she wiped a hand through her now windswept hair.

"It is not okay." Barry shouted back, "Black is here, and he and White are just standing there." He slowed down, realizing that it was an inactive clone, and the other hero's shoulders were quaking in laughter, "That's not him, is it?" Barry asked, looking at the three scientist who all shook their heads.

"It's one of his replicates." Harrison spoke from behind the group, leaning onto one side of his chair.

"How did you get it?" Barry asked, staring at the clone incredulously.

"Caitlin grew him." White's modulated voice spoke, and she nodded to the scientist, as Barry turned to stare at her.

"That's a new costume," Barry breathed out, suddenly focusing in on White's attire.

She nodded, "Cisco made it," White stated.

Barry shook his head, and turned to Caitlin, "How?"

"I isolated a sample of Black's blood," Caitlin started, as she moved into her lab and showed the group how she grew it using a television set up with the microscope's footage. "From your suit to see if I could trigger the invitro-cultivation process and learn how Black multiplies. So I exposed the target cells to a protein gel," She came back to where Barry and White were standing, as Barry was poking at the Clone's chest and Ally was watching him, "and they began replicating" she gestured to the body, as Barry waved a hand in front of the clone's face, "Into that."

"Why isn't he—" Barry started, "It doing anything?"

"We did a brain scan." Harrison informed the speedster, pulling his sleeves up to his elbows as he looked back at the group of three, "Involuntary motor functions are active, little else." Barry glanced over his shoulder to the man, before his attention was drawn elsewhere.

"We think it's acting as a receiver." Cisco added, speaking from behind the cortex desk, which was between him and the clone.

"The clones are an empty shell without Black." Caitlin pointed at the clone as she spoke, "Shut down the real Black, and you might shut them all down."

"But how do we know which one's the real Danton Black?" White and Barry asked simultaneously, Barry's face drawing into curiosity, Ally's eyes narrowing at the grown clone from under her goggles.

"That occurred to me given your own passing out," Caitlin started, going to the other side of the clone to gesture at it, "Black has limits, just like you. Controlling all of those clones must require a tremendous amount of physical strength. So, look for the one showing signs of weakness or fatigue. He's the prime." She finished, and White nodded, remembering the man splitting himself in front of her and Joe.

"Just a theory," Harrison offered, "But one you might want to put to the test, Mr. Allen."

"Plus, I whipped up these high-calorie protein bars for you to keep your metabolism up." Cisco claimed, coming around the desk to hand a wrapped one to Barry who looked at it cautiously, before letting out a small noise of shock.

"Ah!" Caitlin yelled as the clone grunted and looked at her before it found White's form and tried to wrap his hands around the woman's neck. Ally let out a gasp, as she hadn't been prepared for the movement and was forced to use her powers to draw in more oxygen.

Two bullets landed in the clone's body as Caitlin let out another yelp, the clone's body slumping to the floor as White hunched over, trying to get rid of the sensation of choking from her mind. She looked up with the rest of the group as they all turned to find Joe in the doorway, gun in hand.

"Any more of them?" Joe asked, swallowing breaths as he came further into the lab.

"Nope." Caitlin swallowed her fear, noting that the danger was now gone, she moved to the other woman, and quickly helped her friend into a more upright position.

"Why did it start moving?" Barry questioned, angrily as he looked between Harrison and White.

"The prime." White spoke, modulator making her voice three times deeper.

"My guess is, the prime is on the move." Harrison confirmed, "This one heard the summons to battle." He held his hand out to the now unmoving body.

"And I know where he was summoned to." Joe stated, "Stagg Industries."

"You should call it in." Barry told Joe angrily, and White flinched at the tone in her best friend's voice.

"Police can't fight this." Joe stated, shaking his head. "What Black's become, like Mardon," he paused and shook his head, "Beyond me. Maybe way beyond them, too. The only people it's not beyond are you and her." Joe pointed at both Barry and Ally in turn, "You gotta do this. I get it. So for once in your life, do what I tell you to do. Go with her and stop him." Joe commanded, and White watched as Barry processed the speech and then let loose one of the smiles that she loved. Barry nodded to White who smirked at him.

"Suit up." She commanded, and the speedster did just that, walking over to the container holding it. Harrison and Joe shared grateful looks. Not even thirty seconds later, the two heroes were off on their way to Stagg industries, White flying in the air above Barry, as he ran, both going 500mph as they sped through the city.

* * *

**STAGG INDUSTRIES | |**

Simon Stagg was in his office, the lights dim, as he talked on the phone, "Just get me those figures by morning, okay?"

Danton Black had entered the building, and he and his two friends were headed up the escalator, off to kill the businessman. The original Danton was in front of the little trifecta and as they reached the top of the escalator he whipped off his mask. In front of them two guns cocked, as two guards prepared to stop the gunmen by force.

"Freeze. Don't move." One of the guards spoke.

From his office, Simon Stagg over heard gunshots, as he flipped through a business report. He sat up in his chair, stood up and ran to the glass doors that enclosed his office and pushed it open. He heard another round of bullets go off, and quickly ran down the hall, coming to a stop when he found two guard, deceased and still bleeding on the landing's floor. He looked up to find himself face to face with three of Danton Black. "Hello, Danton." Stagg sighed.

"Goodbye, Simon." The original spoke, raising a gun to point at the man, about to shoot him. Barry ran into the scene and within his red blur and yellow lightning and White with her air, as Barry pulled Stagg out of the way of the man's aim. Barry, with White hovering in the air behind him, deposited Stagg back in his office with the command of "Stay here."

After the pair had removed their target, the clones had spread out, searching the lobby for either of their opponents. Ally flew down, landing softly, as she watched them from the middle of the floor. When one of the clones finally came to close to her, she shouted, "We know that Stagg stole your research," She watched in her peripheral vision as Barry appeared behind her.

"But that doesn't give you the right to murder." Barry finished her sentence, as his partner reached behind herself to put a hand on her staff, as the clone pulled his weapon up and released a bullet at Barry. Barry dodged it, using his speed to do pull himself to the side. He spun back around and raced barging into the clones, knocking them down in the process. Ally stayed on the ground and faced the clones down there, using her powers to knock the clones out all at once with an 'air whip'. She watched as the few still conscious levelled their guns at her, and made a wall of wind, and the wind stopped the bullets in their tracks, the bullets falling to the ground harmlessly.

Barry stopped, now on the second level, looked to find her holding her own, and whipped around to find a clone with a gun pointed to his chest.

The clone grunted, "You think this is about my job."

Barry grabbed the man and slammed his back into a pillar with a loud yell.

"This is about Elizabeth." The clone he was holding informed him, before one behind him took over the speech, "She was my wife." He launched a bullet in the speedster's direction but it hit his own clone who gasped, "Gah!" as he fell to the floor.

Barry barreled into the man who fired the shot, knocking him to the floor unconscious as he sped by.

On the ground floor, White was in the middle of a fight, her staff used to send air out from her body, successfully blowing the majority of the men back. Ally had overheard the beginning parts of the speech and shouted out at one of the clones, who had his gun pointed out at her, "Would Elizabeth have wanted you to kill for her?!" The clone fired, and White was almost surprised when Barry grabbed her, making the bullet that was fired, land in another clone's skull. The rest of the clones dispersed trying to find either of them.

"She had a degenerative coronary disease." One of the men yelled at them, his gun waving in their direction, as the two stood hidden amongst the cubicles, "She'd been on the transplant list for years, but," the man was interrupted by a different clone, "Time was running out. So if I couldn't get her a new heart" The man was backing up into Barry and White's direction.

"You were gonna grow her one." Both asked, and Barry whipped them away as the clone shot at them, as a clone on their other side shot, both flying back from each other's bullets.

"I was so close. Until Stagg stole my research." A different clone took over, shouting as he raised his gun. "So he could reap the glory. And I got to bury my best friend. Now I'm alone." The man stopped in the middle of the room and Barry ran into the clone with brute force and set White down as he came to a stop.

Ally and Barry both looked up, in time to find the prime grunting as he generated more of himself. Ally threw out gusts of air in front of them, but there were hundreds of clones. And some evaded her gusts, and others came around behind her and Barry forcing both of them to kneel on the ground as they were mobbed. Ally looked at Barry, between punches, and slowly shifted the air around them to send it off around them forcefully. She did so and the clones went flying as Barry whipped her up and sped away to one of the upper levels.

"Remember, Barry. Find the prime." Caitlin spoke over their comms, as the two landed on the second floor, both breathing in air.

"There's too many of them to fight." Barry yelled back.

"Barry, White, you need to isolate the prime." Harrison demanded.

White nodded, and before Barry could grab her to stop her from going, she headed back into the fray, air spinning around her body like a shield, pulsing.

"White—" Barry started, before going over the comm, "I can't. It's impossible." Barry moaned out, and was greeted by Joe's voice.

"Nothing's impossible, Barry. You, White and Ally taught me that." Joe stated, "You can do this."

"We can do this." White's voice yelled over the comm, as she took down men, as she got forced back to the top of the escalator, Barry looking up in time to get a clear view of the men surging up the stairs.

Barry and Ally let out battle cries, as Ally formed a long arm of air and took off, flying as she knocked over the clones with swings of it. Barry ran through the men, weaving through and punching them, cutting out a path for himself. He and Ally both spotted one of the men sweating in front of him, and Barry grabbed the man's legs and ran him all the way into a pole, making the man slump to the ground.

Ally hovered in the air, watching as the clones slumped.

Barry breathed out heavily and turned to look to find White, and saw the legion were out as well. He and White both let out shocked, but pleased laughs, as Ally flew on her way over to him. She gave him a nod as he looked to her.

"Barry, White." Joe spoke over the comm, as both breathed in a couple more times, "Are you guys all right?" He asked, and Barry spoke first, as White landed in front of him, Barry between her and their opponent.

"I'm fine. We're fine." Barry exhaled, smiling at the woman, "It's done."

White let out a gasp, and pushed Barry to the side, as Danton charged into the space Barry would have been, and barreled into her instead. Neither were able to stop their momentum and the pair went crashing through the window. White latched onto the metahuman's wrist, as Barry grabbed onto her ankle.

"Hang on!" Barry shouted down at the man.

The man stared up at the pair and groaned out "No!" as multiple arms began to grow out of his own trying to tear his own hand from White's grasp.

"Don't." White shouted at him, her eyes beginning to water as she watched the man, and he squeezed at her fingers.

"Ah!" the man growled, triumphant as he managed to force White's hand open and fell down the length of the building, landing at its base with a heavy thud.

"No!" White shouted, as she stared down, completely shell shocked. Barry began to raise her back up, and once she was safely inside she hugged the other hero, trying not to cry.

She failed. She failed Danton Black. Even if he tried to kill her, she had failed. Barry looked down at the smaller hero's hood, as she sniffled, before raising her goggle covered eyes to face him. "At least I wasn't wearing a skirt." She snickered softly to herself, and the speedster blushed.

"So Cisco," White turned on her comm, "What's my name?"

"Air." Cisco's voice replied, and from his end of the line, the group all shared a smile. White and Barry also smiled to each other, "Is it too simple? We could go with Air-Wave instead or something," he offered.

Ally chuckled, and replied, "I like it, Cisco. Air suits me, in more ways than one. And I think AirWave is taken." She knew, and maybe Cisco had known too, that it was perfect. After all, the name was her initials, **A** lexa **I** liana **R** eynolds.

"It suits you." Barry told the woman, who smiled, before saluting him.

"See you when I see you," She bent down, and prepared to takeoff before flying up and all the way to her apartment.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Inside the lab, Barry stood watching the television news report. Cisco was standing behind where Caitlin was sitting at the main desk, and Doctor Wells was to Barry's side.

"Central City police officials are now confirming former employee Danton Black—" The reporter announced, as it showed a glimpse of the one broken window.

"We tried to save him." Barry informed the group, as he stared at the screen, as it showed footage of the ambulance getting there to an already deceased Danton Black.

"Doesn't sound like he wanted to be saved. Some people, when they break" Harrison began, shaking his head a little, "They can't be put together again." He murmured, making Barry turn to look at him.

"Some people heal even stronger." Barry replied, shooting the scientist a small, grim smile.

"I hope so." Harrison replied. Cisco and Caitlin shared a glance, and Barry started to head out, and as he passed Harrison, he gave the older man's shoulder a quick pat.

"Well, at least multiplex won't be able to hurt anyone else." Cisco suddenly spoke up, as Caitlin picked her phone up, She and Barry turned to look at him, smiling, "Told you I'd come up with a cool name." Harrison smiled from his chair. All four grinned within each other for a while, before Barry spoke up.

"Yeah, I may be the one in the suit doing all the running," Barry started, taking in a soft breath, "but when I'm out there with Air helping people, making a difference," Barry looked between the three, "You're all out there with me." He stared a Cisco for a moment, as the Hispanic's head lifted slightly in pride, "Finally realized something," Barry nodded to himself, making Caitlin look up at him, "we were all struck by that lightning." Barry smiled to himself, knowing just how silly it sounded. Cisco and Barry shared a grin before leaving. The three scientist shared one to themselves, before starting to move around the lab.

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | |**

Ally landed with a soft thud on the patio, and rapped at it once. Libby's face came to it immediately, and swung it open.

"Where have you been?!" Libby yelled, her face turning furious, as she pulled her adoptive sister into their apartment forcefully by the forearm.

"I— I was at Stagg Industries," Ally stammered, not expecting the reaction as she pulled her goggles off, and pulled the hood down. Chelsea walked out of her bedroom, rubbing at her eyes with a soft yawn.

"What Lib here, means to say is you had us worried, we didn't know where you were," Chelsea's voice was softer, as she offered the blonde a smile.

"I'm sorry, I'll text next time." Ally replied, and Libby's face softened as she nodded. Ally looked to her sister, "I need a favor, Lib, can you make me an untraceable phone?" Ally asked, already having decided what she would use it for, she just had to find the right words.

"Sure." Libby replied, and darted into her own room to get started, as Chelsea headed into the kitchen to pull out a bottle of wine. It was after all, a Wednesday, and Wednesday was their Wine and Netflix night. But Ally did have plans to go patrol that night after midnight.

* * *

**CCPD FORENSICS LAB | |**

Barry sat at the main table, hunched over a clipboard as he jotted words down onto it.

"Hungry?" Joe asked, as he came to a stop in front of the table. Joe lifted up three large pizzas from a local pizzeria. Barry looked up, as Joe started to speak again. "Pepperoni, olives and jalapeño." He tapped on the box as Barry greedily reached out to it, his mouth watering. "Just like you like it." Joe remembered.

"Thank you." Barry opened the top box and stared at the pie, picking up a piece before he was interrupted.

"You were wrong." Joe stated, walking around the table to stop beside the pull down map.

Barry stared at him for a moment before finding his word, "I have been wrong a lot this week. You're gonna have to be more specific." He looked to Joe as he placed his hands on the table.

"You said that one of things driving you to run around out there was that you couldn't help your dad." Joe told his adoptive son, before reaching out to the pull on the map, and snapped it up, as Barry watched silently, "You can help him. We can." Barry let out a small shuddering breath, "Me, you, and Ally are gonna figure out who or what killed your mother that night. And then we're gonna get your father out of prison. Together." Joe used his hands to gesture between the two of them, as Barry nodded, before remembering his less than nasty words.

"Joe, what I said about you not being my father—" Barry started, before he was interrupted by Joe.

"Barry, I know. I know I'm not your father." He stated, raising his hands up in defense.

Barry glanced sideways at the older man, "You're right. You're not." Barry agreed, making Joe look to him, shocked, "You're just— The man who kept me fed and in clothes, Who sat beside my bed at night until I fell asleep because I was afraid of the dark, helped me with my homework, You taught me how to drive and shave, And you dropped me off at college." Barry told Joe, who struggled not to let happy tears out. "Sounds a lot like a dad to me." Barry finished.

Joe nodded to himself, happy with how it all had played out and wiped his face, before he took a chair besides Barry and sat down. Both men grabbed a slice of the pizza and started to chow down.

Barry's phone buzzed on the table and he picked it up, after he finished his first slice. "Text Message: Unknown number," it read. Barry opened the message and found that it read, " _Barry, Don't blame yourself. – AIR_." Barry let out a small chuckle to himself, showing it to Joe, and the two spent the rest of the night finishing the three pizza pies, before Barry joined Air on patrol.

* * *

_Every kid dreams of being a superhero. Having powers. Saving people. But no kid thinks about what it's like when you're a hero and you're not saving people. Truth is –_

_Not much else changes. You still hurt. You still love. You still wish and hope and fear things. And you still need people to help you with all of it. In some ways, that's the best part._

* * *

**STAGG INDUSTRIES | |**

Simon was in his office again, this time nursing a glass full of aged bourbon. He caught the sound of the elevator ding, and was surprised to see a certain wheel-chair bound scientist exit it. "Wells," Simon asked immediately, "Who the hell let you in here?"

"You been having a party out there?" Wells asked, referring to the blinding strobe lights on the emergency vehicles.

"I'm sure you saw on TV." Simon scoffed, "A former employee of mine tried to kill me." He explained, taking another sip as Wells nodded.

"Former employee with the ability to replicate," Harrison began, "Faced off against a woman who could fly and a man who could move at super speed." He described.

"You've seen him too, haven't ya?" Stagg asked, a determined look in his eyes.

"Indeed, I have." Harrison replied.

"Extraordinary." Stagg shook his head in amazement, standing up with his glass in hand. "The power they possess, it's like the–" Stagg searched for the words, as he walked toward Harrison who sat still in his wheelchair, "it's like the Gods of old. It's like Mercury on earth. Can you imagine if you could control his power? If you could—if you could harness it? You could change what it means to be human." Stagg stated, his greed for the power evident in his voice. "The woman in a white suit and the man in a red mask are the keys, and I'm gonna get them." He decided, smiling to himself triumphantly.

Harrison looked at the other scientist, almost fondly, as he pulled his glasses off, clicking the arms of them together, "The woman in white, she's called Air, and the man in the red mask. He's called the Flash. Or at least," Harrison started, before using his arms to push himself into a standing position, "They both will be one day." He stopped in his position facing the now flabbergasted man.

"What the hell?" Simon asked, before grunting as Harrison shoved a knife into his chest.

"Forgive me, Simon." Harrison apologized, as he used his hand to twist the knife as Simon gasped, "I worry you think that you will think this is personal, and it's not." Harrison spoke, as Simon came to a stop his legs hitting the back of his desk, "It's just that the woman in white, and the man in the red mask, The woman who can disappear into thin air, and the fastest man alive, they must be kept–" Harrison pulled the knife out, as Simon's body slumped to the floor with a thud, "Safe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Woo! Alright so now you all know Ally's superhero name. I'm pretty proud of it even though it is simple, It is heavily what I used when I named Ally. Although my original idea for an oc was that Ally was adopted by the Queen family after her parents were killed in a car wreck by the league when she was five, and then she was taken to the league after a staged death at 16, and got the name Riah – which means something along the lines of wind. Then released from league about 5 years later- and made a different name Rebecca Isabelle Aaron. She became vigilante in bludhaven alongside Dick Grayson (Nightwing), then got a job at CCPD and worked with Barry. And then had aerokinesis happen. So yea, I cut the backstory down a lot from that. Although maybe at some point, I will clean it up and write that story. But that is not this story's Ally.
> 
> Enough of that. So some notes from me- In the future that 'Wells' is from, Ally does exist, and he knows her in a very particular way, which I will reveal to you in a future chapter. And yeah so now the people that know who Air is are Joe, the Star labs crew, and Ally's roommates. Harrison's statement of Ally being able to disappear is not quite true yet, but it will be something she discovers in future chapters. Also I think this is the longest one piece I've ever written, it's like 34 pages on word, and close to 11K words.
> 
> I also wanted to ask again if you had any Ideas for Barry and Ally's couple name. Also if you haven't already seen Deadpool, and you like the character at all, go watch it, the movie was amazing! Like seriously, perfect. And there was an end credit's scene that was so worth it.


	9. Gassed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry this took longer than other updates, but the place where I get the episode canon dialogue, their servers were initially down for a little, but they are back up now. Then I had a calculus test to study for. But now I'm all set so I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks for reading! Also I started a one-shot series that are spin-offs or flashbacks/forwards from this series (it's called "Flash in the Air"). Second part of this episode will be up either before Sunday night or not until next Thursday.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the Flash.

**STREET | October 20** **th** **, 2014 |**

' _It doesn't matter if you're the slowest kid in gym class or the fastest man alive…,_ ' Barry thought to himself as he ran down the streets with a blur, weaving in and around the cars. ' _Every one of us is running.'_ He tried to focus as he maneuvered out of the way of a car. _'Being alive means running._ _Running from someone. Running to something. Or someone.'_ Barry thought to himself, seeing a certain face come to mind. ' _And no matter how fast you are, there are some things you can't outrun.'_ Barry looked up, and found the form of his partner, Air, and the two shared a small smile before both took off. _'Some things always manage to catch up to you.'_ Barry finished, leaving the other hero as he went to go to meet up with Iris, for their planned outing to dinner and a movie. He had been a little disappointed by Ally refusing to come with them. But Barry understood, he knew Ally had hated the first movie in the Blue Devil series. Barry ran into his apartment to change.

* * *

**VOGUE THEATER | |**

Barry and Iris had just exited the theater, having watched 'Blue Devil II- Hell To Pay | The Rita Farr Story'.

"Regular movie scale— that was a seven or an eight." Barry announced, as Iris munched on the popcorn, "Zombie movie scale, it was like, a four. Tops." Barry declared, as he and Iris maneuvered their way between the throngs of people.

"There's a Zombie movie scale?" Iris asked, and Barry nodded eagerly.

"Ally helped me write it," He told her, before his face grew even more excited, "Did you know that zombies exist in nature? There's a species of fungi that infects ants," Barry sucked in a breath as he stuck his hands in his pockets, and he and Iris casually strolled down the side walk, "causing the ants to attack plants that can release spores which in turn infect new hosts." He rambled on incessantly, as Iris gave him a soft smile, He had one hand now out of his pocket and was using it to gesture around. "I'm going full nerd again, aren't I?" Barry realized suddenly, and he used the same hand to point at himself to Iris, both of them stopping their jaunt for a second.

"Yep." Iris confirmed, smugly, as she tossed a couple more pieces of popcorn into her mouth. The two continued to stroll down the sidewalk.

"Yeah." Barry sighed a little to himself.

"Yeah." Iris agreed, "It's okay though. You are still the cutest nerd that I know, well other than Ally." Iris stated, "Anyways, I'm a lot more interested in the amazing as of late."

"Because of this streak thing?" Barry asked his friend as they passed a club's entrance.

"He's out there." Iris declared, "People are talking about him, and his partner, a woman in all white who can fly." Iris smiled gleefully up at her friend who tried not to crack a smile in thought of his partner.

Barry and Air had been patrolling together recently, and Air had offered to meet up with him at some point to train. "How do you even know he's a he? Maybe they're both she's." Barry asked, nervously, referring to the man, "Or maybe the one in white is a man." Barry shrugged noncommittally, mentally imagining how his female counterpart would react if she found out somehow.

"It's a man and a woman, okay?" Iris argued, "You know I am really intuitive about this kind of stuff. Someone even posted a picture after being yanked from a car accident." Iris started to reach into her pocket for her phone, "It's a red blur leaving the scene and a white figure disappearing into thin air." Iris held her phone up to Barry's face, "Here, what do you see?" Iris asked.

Barry did not see a picture of him and his partner, rather he saw Eddie's caller ID on Iris's screen, "I see your boyfriend's calling." Barry replied, as the phone buzzed.

"Oh, I should probably get this. I'm crashing at his place tonight, and he's supposed to leave a key for me somewhere." Iris explained, before stepping away to answer the phone call. "Hey, babe. What's up?" She asked the detective over the phone, as Barry readied himself to wait, "Not much, just hanging out with Barry." Barry rolled his eyes softly, and wondered what Ally ended up doing tonight, "You off yet?" Iris asked.

Barry's phone rang, making the man jolt to grab it. Barry looked at the caller ID and saw the name, he sighed a little to himself before answering, "Hello."

"Air needs help with a Code 237 on Wade Boulevard." Cisco stated, energetically from his position at the Star labs desk.

"Public indecency?" Barry questioned incredulously after smiling at the thought of seeing his friend in the white suit again.

"Wait—" Cisco muttered, "I think I meant a 239."

"Dog leash violation?" Barry asked again, and he could faintly hear a deep snicker through the phone, more than likely coming from Air's comm unit.

"Bad man with a gun in a getaway car." Caitlin had taken the mic from Cisco, "Go." She demanded.

Barry looked over to see if Iris was looking, she wasn't. Barry's mind quickly decided on heading to the scene and he took off, weaving his way back through the throng of people exiting the theater.

Iris was too busy replying to something Eddie had said to notice, "You don't have a mat. Do you have a planter?"

* * *

**STREET | |**

Ally, or Air, in her now normal suit from Cisco trailed the police sirens, she had just got word from Cisco that Barry was headed over. The red van served slightly in front of her, turning down a side road. She could hear the policemen's shouts of pursuit from her height. The police car was weaving its way up to become even with the getaway vehicle, and Ally was trying to help other cars and civilians not get hit in the chase.

Air heard the now familiar sound of a gun firing, as the man in the getaway car fired off a couple shots at the policemen.

"He's got a gun." The cop in the passenger seat shouted, and Air scoffed, before quickly solidifying the air around the car's sides, effectively shielding it from any more bullets.

"Look out!" the cop shouted again, before blinking as he saw a bullet come straight for the side mirror only to see it unexplainably bounce away in midair as if the bullet had hit something solid.

Air heard the familiar whoosh of Barry's speed and let down the density shield as Barry quickly snatched the criminal from the car and handcuffed him and tossed him into the police car. Air gave the speedster a small salute and a grin and got a grin from the speedster in return as he paused before shooting off in his normal fashion to the theater. Ally remained back for a couple seconds before flying off to a higher altitude, planning on watching the city for a little while longer before turning in for the night.

As Air left, the now vacant van started to slow down to a halt behind the cop car, and the cop at the wheel, Paulson, turned it shakily, looking over to his right to see that their target had vanished.

"Where'd he go?" Paulson asked, as the vacant truck slowed to a halt behind the police car, whose sirens were still blaring.

Both cops turned around to find the spectacle of the criminal handcuffed and struggling in the back seat. "What the F—" the cop in the passenger seat spoke, as the partners and the criminal all shared the same shocked look.

* * *

**VOGUE THEATER | |**

"Keys in the mailbox." Iris spoke softly into her phone, as she and Eddie finished their planning, "I'll see you later, Bye." Iris hung up the phone, and just as she turned around Barry hopped back into place from running. Iris didn't even notice, instead stating, "Eddie says hi."

"Nice of him." Barry offered, before continuing, "You wanna text Ally to come find us and grab a bite? I'm feeling a little famished."

"After the Mongolian barbecue we had before the movie," Iris questioned, skeptically, as Barry gave her a noncommittal shrug, "and the extra-large popcorn you had at the movie? How are you not fat?"

"I've—" Barry mad an exaggerated motion with his head, "been jogging." It was a lie, but he had been running all over the place.

"Oh, okay." Iris agreed, and whipped her phone back out to text Ally to come meet up with them for some food. After Ally had responded, Iris and Barry headed out to walk to the dinner, and they passed by without noticing one of the restaurants, 'Amarasia Oasis', was hosting a family gathering of well dressed mobsters.

* * *

**RESTAURANT – AMARASIA OASIS | |**

Inside of that same restaurant the youngest family member, Raffi, approached the boss, his own uncle, Araz. "Why so public a meeting, uncle?" Raffi asked nervously.

"We're dining out to show our enemies we're not afraid." Araz replied, confidence imbued in every word he spoke.

Raffi refused to meet his uncle's eyes, prompting Araz to speak up again.

"Relax, nephew." Araz's hand landed on Raffi's arm, the other arm gesturing towards the windows, "We've replaced the windows with bulletproof glass." Araz paused, as Raffi gave the glass an indecipherable stare before his uncle turned to one of the staff members, "Close it up."

The crime boss turned back to Raffi, "Come. Have a drink." He demanded, ushering the younger man to the table.

Meanwhile, the waiter, who was earlier addressed by Araz and was a bald man dressed in a white uniform, flipped the open/closed sign around, to read to the outside world 'closed'. He took the key out, slammed it into the lock before breaking off the stem from the handle. He sighed to himself smugly, as he thought through the rest of his plan.

"Our own drivers are ripping us off." Araz addressed the now seated family members, he, himself, was standing up as he did so. As he spoke, green gas slid through the room, sticking to the floor out of sight, heading for the standing boss, and staying out of view of everybody else. "Someone is paying them to steal from us. None of you will sleep until we find out who." Araz demanded, as the gas snuck up from behind him, going into his nose as he continued, "And then those thieves—" Araz coughed, "Those thieves—" and coughed again, this time more painfully, as he clutched his chest, hunching over the table. The gas suddenly condensed more behind him, "Will draw their last breath." The gas took off across the table as Araz collapsed.

From the far end of the table, Razzi and the man nearest to him both stood up, Razzi shouting, "Uncle!" He caught a little of the gas and coughed, as he tried to get to Araz. One of the Araz's cousins stumbled from the table trying to run, as Razzi grabbed a gun, holding his breath as he moved back to where he had sat and attempted to shoot out the glass windows. He got three shots off, denting the glass as the green gas quickly encompassed the room, making Razzi collapse, in a similar manner to the rest of his family.

* * *

**CCPD | October 21** **st** **, 2016|**

Barry exited the elevator of the Police department, a coffee in one hand, and a white hot chocolate in the other. Both were from Jitters, although only the coffee was his. The hot chocolate was for Ally, as Barry knew it was Ally's favorite. Barry didn't see his best friend downstairs, instead overhearing the voice of Paulson, who was gloating to the crowd of two other officers. Barry walked over curiously, noticing Joe coming the same way from the detective offices.

"Where'd you cut him off?" one of the two other cops asked Paulson.

"So we cut him off at eighth. I mean, the perp was in the backseat of the cruiser before he even knew what happened." Paulson claimed, as Barry watched knowingly. That arrest was all him, and the fact the two men were not wounded was all thanks to Air.

"Congratulations, Paulson, on that arrest last night." Joe offed a hand out to Paulson to shake, which the other policeman did so heartily. "Hell of a job."

"You come by later, Joe. I'll give you a driving lesson, okay?" Paulson offered, and Barry forced himself to reign in a scoff, instead he settled for shaking his head as the cop walked towards the barracks.

"Wasn't even him last night. It was me and our friend." Barry told Joe, his voice lowered as the two men started to head in the direction of the stairs.

"I figured." Joe replied easily, and the two of them started up the stairs to the lab, "I just didn't realize you and her were helping people for the glory."

"It's not like we want a museum built in our names." Barry half joked, as he and Joe weaved through opposing traffic on the steps. "Keeping what I can do a secret from Iris and everyone, it's harder than I thought." Barry tried to appeal to Joe.

"I know," Joe agreed, "but it is safer that way. Besides, me, you and Ally have got work to do."

* * *

**CCPD LAB | |**

Ally had been in the forensics lab for a little over thirty minutes, she was a little bit tired, and rightfully so as she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep the night before. Which was easily explained by the fact that she had been out until three in the morning, patrolling by herself as per usual. After Barry and 'Air' had taken down the armed getaway car, Ally had stopped three armed robberies, a handful of muggings, and a gang crowded up around a girl who was Libby's age. She was sore too, but luckily that wasn't as bad, as having a nurse in the apartment meant the good non-drowsy painkillers. She had collected a litter of bruises on her arms, which was why she had opted for one of her sturdier black blazers over a maroon long-sleeved top.

Ally had already prepped the lab for the day's work, after dropping her bag into her desk chair, and was currently pacing through the room, practicing an old aikido kata, in an effort to stay awake.

That was how Barry and Joe found her. Barry smiled to himself, and Joe's smile was a bit wider as he noticed the younger man's eyes practically light up at the sight. The pair walked further into the room, and Ally's kata lead her to turn to face them.

"Morning,'" she drawled lazily, grinning before her eyes locked in on the second cup in Barry's hands. "Is that what I think it is?" She asked, and Joe snorted softly as Barry nodded and handed her the cup, the girl half clutching it to herself before she raised the cup up to her lips.

Joe spoke up before Ally could take her first sip, "I'm going to go grab something, and I'll be right back." Joe left the room, headed for the evidence lockers.

Ally lifted the cup to her mouth and took a sip. Without realizing it, she let out a soft moan. Barry found himself looking away from her, blushing as he stood in the middle of the room.

Ally blinked, before looking up to find Barry's head turned to the window, "What…?" she asked, curiously.

"Nothing," Barry hurriedly declared, before he decided something and turned to look her in the eyes, "Actually Ally, I was wondering if—"

Barry was cut off by a loud thump. He and Ally glanced over to find out that Joe had plopped down a box, a very familiar looking one, on their table. "The evidence from my mom's case." Barry murmured, coming up to stand by the table and recognizing the relic as Ally came over to face him.

"I had it brought up from storage." Joe explained, he was at the head of the table, and the two CSI's were facing him, on opposing ends of the table.

"Joe, we've been through this box 1,000 times." Barry explained, his expression growing darker.

"Yeah, and I even have the paper cuts to prove it," Ally added on, trying to lighten the mood for the now sullen Barry.

"Before, your story about what really happened that night," Joe started, as Barry and Ally gave him silent nods, and Joe's arms swept out in a circle. "The lightning storm, the man in the middle of it," Joe started over towards the evidence map from Barry's mother's case, "I thought that was a kid trying to protect his father from prison. But now that I know it's true," Barry and Ally shared a soft smile, happy to have Joe on board. "We're gonna go through every scrap of evidence until we find something that helps us." Joe finally paused, and Barry immediately weighed in.

"It took the jury 52 minutes to come back with a verdict of guilty." Barry commented. Ally reached out for Barry's elbow in comfort, they had found that fact out when they had first starting working together when they were little on the case.

"They moved too fast, which is why we got to take our time." Joe declared, Ally nodded in agreement, before catching the sound of Barry sighing and unconsciously moving closer to her best friend, as he stared down at the box. Joe walked over as well to stand to the Barry's other side.

"Barry, Ally, Joe," Eddie had walked into the lab and spoken out of nowhere, making all three of the previous inhabitants look up, Ally half sighed, if Eddie was there something bad must have happened, "We got multiple homicides. Do you know the Darbinyan crime family?" Eddie asked. Ally's expression took a slight grin at her prediction before it fell into a more fitting serious one. Barry and Joe's faces both easily read as not knowing who the Darbinyan's were, Ally knew who they were, if only because of patrolling and running into a couple of their members before.

* * *

**RESTAURANT – AMARASIA OASIS | |**

The restaurant the crime had occurred in was nice, other than the fact it was known for hosting the mob families of Central city more often than not. The inside was gorgeous, nice mahogany floor and ceilings, but the restaurant's class was decimated by the fact there were 15 pieces of tarp covering miscellaneous bodies scatter out from the table. Ally and Barry had already looked over all the bodies, and were currently hovering over the last one, who was the furthest from the table. They pulled the tarp back down over the man's face after the photographers finished taking the pictures of the man's body.

"Ally? Barry?" Joe came over calling the two's names. Both CSI's looked up from their studying to face the detective. Joe spotted their forms as they looked up from their squatting positions and he instantly rushed over to come within speaking distance. "Anything?" Joe asked.

"Signs of histotoxic hypoxia." Barry claimed, and Joe made a face, confused by the long term, before Ally jumped in.

"The cells in their bodies were unable to utilize oxygen." She explained, Joe's head was moving as he looked all over the room and Barry nodded and continued the explanation

"It's consistent with exposure to poison gas." Barry stated.

Joe's head whipped back to ask a question, "What kind of poison?"

"We'll need to take a lung sample, see if we can narrow it down." Ally explained, Barry nodded in confirmation, reaching back for the heavy metal case with all of their CSI equipment was to retrieve a tool for collection such a sample.

"The only other exit was bolted from the inside." Eddie claimed, as he walked through the restaurant towards Joe, making his partner and Ally turn to look at him.

Ally scrunched her nose up a little at the sight of Eddie's badge hanging precariously off of his jacket lapel, she mad a small noise, only audible to Barry who looked over at her.

Barry followed her gaze and did his best not to laugh, Ally was notoriously bothered by things like Eddie's badge. In fact, Barry remembered, he and her other friends had once played a prank on her for the very same trait. Barry was pulled out of his memories by Eddie speaking up more.

"They were trapped. I was thinking someone pumped gas in from the outside, but witnesses say the street was empty." Eddie had explained to Joe, who gave him a confused look.

"So it was from the inside," Joe asked. "That means there should be a canister or a container left behind. The gas just didn't come in by itself." Joe theorized, and as he did, Ally and Barry shared a glance and both stood up to their full heights, five foot four and six foot two, respectively.

"Unless it had a mind of its own." Barry came up with, making Eddie and Joe both glance to him and Ally, who nodded. Barry let out a soft laugh at the detectives' incredulous looks.

Joe turned back to Eddie who gave him a wary look, "Eddie, would you mind canvassing again?" Joe asked, "Somebody had to have seen something suspicious." Eddie gave Joe a small grimace, before retreating from the detective to do as ordered.

"Okay, explain." Joe demanded, and Ally and Barry walked to be within a foot of the older man.

"The boss collapsed by the table." Ally spoke in a hushed voice, as she pointed out the victims, "This guy made it 10 feet away." Ally pointed behind herself to the man she and Barry had just examined, "That guy had a chance to move off and fire three shots into the window trying to break the glass." A gun was lying by the last man, and there was a number by the man's shoulders labeling him as subject 3.

Joe was still processing the information and Bally decided to clarify it further, "But they all started in the same spot," Joe started to nod, indicating he was understanding it, as Barry continued, "which means they should have all been affected by the gas at the same time, but instead, it's as if—" Barry paused and Joe interrupted.

"They were attacked one by one." Joe spoke, "My gut feeling, if we're gonna solve this one," Joe shrugged a little to himself, "us three are gonna need –" Joe paused, lowering his voice lower, "Backup."

"Yeah." Ally agreed, as Barry nodded in confirmation.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Ally, Barry and Joe had arrived at Star Labs thanks to— not Barry's feet— Joe's car. One thing that Ally was grateful for. She had a dozen too many times as Air, or Ally, when Barry had literally swept her off of her feet. Not in the romantic way, although Chelsea and Libby had teased Ally for the phrasing when she had accidentally ranted about the topic the past Sunday night. Ally broke out of her thoughts, shaking her head to clear it as she looked to Harrison who had wheeled into the Cortex, heading for a spot in the middle of the control desk.

"Fascinating," Harrison stated, "a meta-human that can manipulate poison gas."

"Is it just poisonous gas, or can he control all aerated substances?" Cisco asked loudly from one of the laboratory rooms as he walked into the cortex from it.

"And how is he able to formulate the connection?" Caitlin added coming from the same direction as Cisco but out pacing him in her high heels to get to the desk. Cisco stopped to the closer side of Wells, as Caitlin paced around Wells to his opposite side, still asking questions as she did so. "Is it physiological or psychological?"

"This individual can create a mental nexus using gaseous substances." Harrison answered, as Joe looked at the group in disbelief, Ally struggled not to snicker at the team's fast paced talking and Barry just observed.

"You mean connect with gases on a molecular level?" Cisco corrected Wells, leaning his hand down on one of the desk chairs, an exuberant smile on his face.

"Yes." Harrison agreed, turning to the younger scientist before looking back at the computer.

"That is ridiculously cool." Cisco exclaimed, pointing at his boss in his excitement.

"They get really excited about this stuff." Barry interjected to Joe, who was to his left.

"Rightfully so," Ally muttered from Barry's other side, making Barry hide a fond smile.

"The only thing I'm excited about is putting criminals behind bars." Joe claimed, "Except Iron Heights isn't exactly equipped to handle meta-humans." Joe stated, his expression showing his slight resentment of the fact.

"Then I guess it's fortunate the ones you've encountered so far are no longer with us." Harrison claimed, and Joe's face turned into one of immediate disapproval as Cisco and Barry all took in the statement, not proud of the fact. Ally felt her forehead crinkle in discomfort, as she remembered the feel of Danton's hand in hers, as he tore at her hand.

Barry looked over and caught sight of her reaction, his hand moved as if to grab hers, but he decided against doing so.

"Well, unless we're planning on executing every super criminal we stop," Joe started before demanding, "You geniuses are gonna have to come up with someplace else to hold them." Harrison and Cisco looked up to him in surprise.

"A meta-human prison." Cisco claimed, before grinning at the idea, "Sweet." Joe shot the man a look reading not-half-bad.

"Until we figure a way to remove their powers." Harrison declared, and Cisco's eyes flickered with an idea.

"There is one place here that might hold them." he stated, immediately drawing Harrison and Caitlin's attention.

"You can't be serious." Caitlin claimed, her head shaking in disbelief of the idea, Ally watched the woman's movements, becoming worried. "I mean, we haven't been down there since the—" Caitlin's words cut off, refusing to allow her to say the name of the event that had ruined her life, "It's cordoned off." She insisted finally, as Joe now watched her, confused by her words and Barry tried to make sense of the situation. Ally's heart was aching for her friend's.

"Cisco is right." Harrison stated, "It could be modified to act as a makeshift prison."

"What could?" Barry questioned.

"The particle accelerator." Harrison answered as Barry joined Ally in watching Caitlin, as the female doctor fell into the memory of that night with a heavy intake of breath.

* * *

**STAR LABS | December 20** **th** **, 2013 |**

"Tonight, the future begins. The work my team and I will do here," Caitlin was on stage behind Harrison, the speaker, at the public address. She grinned to herself thinking about all of the accomplishments she made while working with Dr. Wells, who continued to speak. "Will change our understanding of physics, will bring about advancements in power, advancements in medicine." Caitlin watched the crowd, who watched her boss in admiration, audience members clicking away on camera's that flashed in front of her eyes before she turned back to Harrison, who concluded his statements, "And trust me, that future will be here faster than you think."

A thunder flash and a lightning strike echoed in Caitlin's mind as she was transferred to being in the cortex with the full staff of Star Labs.

* * *

Inside of the lab, Doctor Wells had just walked into the cortex, heading to look at the display screens.

Cisco caught sight of his boss and followed him, "Dr. Wells, we just got the latest weather report," Cisco walked around to the scientist's other side, "A big thunderstorm is rolling in." Cisco informed the older man.

"We're not launching a space shuttle." Harrison claimed, "We'll be fine." Cisco watched as Wells smiled to himself, and smiled as well heading back to the main desk.

In the other room, one of the side labs contained Dr. Snow and her soon to be husband, Ronnie Raymond. Caitlin was seated at the computer, Ronnie standing and looking over her shoulder at what she had up on the screen.

"Tahiti?" Ronnie questioned, reading off of the screen.

"I know it's a long flight, Ronnie," Caitlin claimed, looking up at her fiancé before offering, "but we can binge watch Orange is the New Black."

"Oh, okay." Ronnie said, he had never enjoyed watching the show as much as Caitlin did, and tried to steer her to his own idea, "But what about Italy? Pizza and wine and more pizza."

Caitlin let out a soft chuckle, Ronnie was obsessed with pizza, before she stood up, smiling at Ronnie, "Yes, but Italy doesn't have Mai Tais," Caitlin gave him a sultry side glance before finishing, "and a honeymoon isn't a honeymoon without Mai Tais." Ronnie nodded softly, laughing internally at her reasoning.

Harrison had been watching the couple ad was interrupted from his staring by Cisco.

"Dr. Wells, the accelerator is primed and ready for particle injection." Cisco was standing, hands clasped in front of himself as he addressed Harrison, who turned to face him slowly.

"Well," Harrison stared, walking towards the desk, as Caitlin and Ronnie came down for the small lab and walked into the cortex, "I feel I should say something profound like one small step for man," Harrison came behind the desk, as Ronnie put his hand on Caitlin's elbow guiding her further into the cortex, "but all I can think of to say is, I feel like I've waited for this day for centuries." Harrison concluded, looking to Caitlin who gave him a look of admiration and a nod before turning to Ronnie who gave her a small nod as Harrison watched them.

Harrison's hand went to the computer, and the computer took in his identity before opening the injection sequence. The process started as Harrison took a step back from the desk.

"That's it?" Cisco asked out loud, "You'd think there'd be, like, a loud bang."

"If there was a loud bang, we'd all be in big trouble." Ronnie declared, shrugging at Cisco.

"Take it from the guy who helped build it." Caitlin smiled at her soon-to-be-husband, who gave her a smile back.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we did it." Harrison announced triumphantly. And the room all applauded for their contributions, including Harrison. Ronnie and Caitlin were standing side-by-side and as they clapped, Caitlin leaned over to steal a kiss from Ronnie, who happily obliged.

"Mai Tais it is." Ronnie told Caitlin who grinned at him, both nodding in agreement.

Harrison popped open a bottle of champagne, but before he could pour it or say anything, the liquid began to float up, defying gravity as Ronnie and everyone in the room stared at it cautiously and curiously.

The liquid fell, everyone's eyes following it to the floor as it landed with a splash. The alarms started to blare in the background as Cisco regretted his words from earlier, the buildings lights flashed and the scientist could hear the concrete building crack and shake. Caitlin and Ronnie shared a panicked look as the other employees chattered nervously.

"Was that," Cisco started.

"A loud bang." Ronnie finished, as Caitlin watched Cisco turn to his computer and suddenly remembered where she actually was in the present, her head pounding as she heard Ally calling her name.

* * *

**STAR LABS | October 21** **st** **, 2016 |**

"Caitlin." Ally spoke, "Caitlin." She had been trying to get the doctor's attention, but the woman had been trapped in her past experiences. Caitlin finally moved after five minutes of staring despondently into the desk. "Thank god." Ally murmured, reaching out to give Caitlin a one armed hug into her own body.

"Caitlin, we're going down to the accelerator ring." Harrison announced, ignoring the doctor's actions, he had just started to wheel out to go to the ring, and was in his chair looking back at his employee. Barry looked at Caitlin worriedly, and he and Ally shared a meaningful look before he spoke up

"Actually, Dr. Wells, Ally and I could use Caitlin's help identifying the poison gas." Barry claimed, as Caitlin let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Caitlin looked over to Ally, who gave her a small nod of encouragement, and then to Barry who smiled at her, as Caitlin's expression grew into a relieved smile.

"Okay." Harrison agreed, realizing what Ally and Barry wanted to do.

"If that's okay with you?" Ally asked Caitlin, a soft smile on her face.

"Let's go." Caitlin agreed, Barry nodded and she started to get up from her seat.

As Caitlin moved, Ally grabbed her own tote from where it was resting and slung it onto her shoulder, before spotting Caitlin's jacket and holding it out to the other woman, who slid into it gratefully.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

"Welcome to the CCPD." Ally and Barry chorused, as they walked Caitlin into the detective's office. Caitlin was smiling more now that she was away from the particle accelerator.

"So this is your day job." Caitlin asked the pair.

"Mm-hmm." Barry smiled in a straight line, as Ally nodded.

"Wow." Caitlin looked around the room, before she saw the cop, druggie in hand, who was looking to pass between her and Barry.

Ally and Caitlin stepped away from Barry who also took a step back to let the officer through, as the prisoner leered at the two women, before claiming, "I'm gonna rip out your hearts and eat 'em for lunch." The man glanced between the women and Barry as he was led away.

Barry's eyes hardened at the man's back before he relaxed as he caught the bells of Ally snickering at the claim.

"Delightful." Caitlin spoke, sarcastically of course as she watched the man be pulled from the office.

"Lab rats," One of the older female detectives approached the group, before slamming a gun in a bag into Ally's hands, which had automatically moved to catch the movement in front of her stomach. The detective finished her demand, "I need prints off this gun, pronto." Ally gave Barry a grimace, who shared it. This was typical. Caitlin watched the interactions with curiosity.

"Roberts! Allen!" Captain Singh shouted, barreling through the offices doors. Ally flinched unperceptively, Captain Singh towered over her. "Where the hell is the fiber analysis on the Orloff case?" Singh asked, coming to a stop in the middle of his sentence to face the pair of CSI's, not yet noticing their visitor.

"Upstairs." Barry claimed, pointing in the direction of the stairs, "It's all finished. I can just run up and bring it down." Barry offered, before leaving the two women to deal with Singh.

"With you, that could be three days from now. I'll go with you." Singh scolded, before turning to follow Barry, Ally and Caitlin keeping pace with him. Singh turned to Ally, only to notice Caitlin and ask, "Who are you?" after looking the stranger up and down.

"Dr. Caitlin Snow," Ally introduced,

"I'm Barry's personal physician." Caitlin offered, a bit snidely, as the three kept pace with each other, Barry having gone up ahead of them.

* * *

**CCPD LAB | |**

Barry had made into the lab, and was speeding through the room, looking for the report. His movements sent papers flying all over the room. He grabbed the report and flung himself towards the door's view, stopping just in time to hold the paper out to Singh.

Ally and Caitlin looked around the room, and Ally had to hold in a groan at the state of disarray.

"The fiber analysis for the Orloff case," Barry stated, holding the paper out to Singh, who was looking straight at him, "like you asked for, sir."

Singh took the papers looking through them as Caitlin gave Barry a look of subtle, and Barry ignored Ally's glares. "Clean up your lab." Singh demanded, finally looking into the lab, "It's a mess." Singh told Ally, facing her as he turned to leave.

Ally waited ten seconds before she stalked over to the papers spread all over the room, she leaned down to gather them, but before she even put a hand on it, it was gone in a burst of yellow lightning. Ally's eyes tried to keep up with the lightning, but couldn't and she blinked and the room was clean. Ally let out a groan and readjusted her tote onto her shoulder.

"What?" Barry asked, his expression one of false innocence, as he stopped directly in front of Ally, able to see Caitlin smirking at him from behind Ally.

"I'm hungry," Ally stated before her eyes flashed with anticipation, "I think I'm gonna go ahead on break," she claimed.

"Where are you going to go?" Barry questioned. It wasn't because he was worried or anything, he told himself.

"Big Belly, the one in the mall." Ally decided, before starting to walk out of the lab. Ally made it past Caitlin and turned back to Barry, "And please no more super speed in our lab." Ally stated, before she retreated all of the way out of the lab, making Caitlin turn to Barry and smirk at Ally's choice of words and the fact that Barry's ears and cheeks were coloring.

* * *

_**(A/N: Took out Eddie/Iris scene, it still happened, but there's no reason for me to write it as it is the exact same as the one in the show. Maybe I'll come back to it during an edit in the future.)** _

**STAR LABS – ACCELERATOR | |**

Harrison wheeled down the hallway, Cisco following him, keeping pace so he wasn't running ahead of the chair, they tuned into the entrance and came to a sop in front of the circular entrance to the accelerator rings. Cisco pushed the button and the door slide apart to allow them to see a pathway into the darkness.

"The copper in the tube is arranged to form cavities," Harrison explained, starting to wheel into the tube and Cisco slowly following, "and we can use those cavities as containment cells." The pair stopped at the beginning of a bridge over the small chasm and faced the pods sitting on the wall. "Of course, we'll have to design them to counteract meta-human abilities, but might just work. First, we have to decouple the main injection system on the gantry level. I'll be right back." Harrison claimed, starting to wheel backwards.

"Why don't I do that?" Cisco offered, his arms coming uncrossed before pointing to Harrison.

"I need the exercise." Harrison declared, before retreating the rest of the way out of the room. Leaving Cisco to his memories, of the last time he was in this area, with his arms crossed in front of him.

* * *

**STAR LABS | December 20th, 2013 |**

Suddenly, Cisco found himself in the pace faced setting of diagnosing what went wrong with the accelerator. He was staring at the computer's display analyzing things as fast as he could under the pressure. He found it! "There's an anomaly in the core chamber." Cisco declared.

Caitlin was in a similar position, typing away on Cisco's far right, "The ring's structural integrity is holding." Caitlin declared.

"It's started a chain reaction." Harrison declared, he, himself was inbetween the two and had his own display running, "The system is collapsing. We need to shut it down."

"We can't ramp down the accelerator from here." Cisco claimed, putting his hands down onto the desk, "We need to do it manually."

The statement earned Cisco the immediate shout of "Go." From Harrison, and the young member of the Star labs team started down the hallway to the accelerator rings.

"I'll come with." Ronnie declared, from his position behind Caitlin, he turned to follow, and Caitlin turned to her fiancé in a panic.

"Ronnie, no." She demanded.

"I'm the lead engineer. I know how to operate the shutdown valve." Ronnie declared, ready to sprint down the hallway.

"It's not safe." Caitlin argued, but it fell on closed ears.

"Cait," Ronnie claimed, "I have to go." He grabbed the sides of Caitlin's face and pulled their faces together before claiming her lips in his own for a short kiss. He extricated himself from the kiss, letting go of Caitlin's shoulder as he turned and sprinted down the hallway, leaving Caitlin staring after him worriedly.

* * *

**STAR LABS – ACCELERATOR | |**

Ronnie had overtaken Cisco and ran up the ramp to the entrance, quickly pushing the button to open the doors. As they opened, Ronnie turned back to Cisco to command, "Okay, you stay here." Cisco's face showed his confusion, and Ronnie explained, "We've only got a few minutes before this thing blows, and if I'm not back in time, you need to initiate lockdown."

"No way." Cisco argued, "I am not closing this door. I won't be able to open it again."

"Cisco, if you don't seal off the blast, everyone in this building will die, including Caitlin." Ronnie commanded, making Cisco shake his head, as Cisco came to terms with the decision,"Okay, now promise me." Cisco nodded, and Ronnie looked to Cisco and down at his wrist, "Set your watch. Two minutes."

Cisco did so, the watch beeping at Him as he looked down at the timer display. Cisco pointed at Ronnie, "You're coming back." Ronnie nodded slightly, before taking off into the accelerator, leaving Cisco to watch nervously.

* * *

**STAR LABS | October 21st, 2014 |**

Cisco was still staring off into the Accelerator, not realizing that the memories in his head were just that, they were still real to him. They still hurt, and being here did remind him of what exactly they had all lost that night. He still heard the beep telling him that the two minutes were up, and he could still feel the horror he felt as he pushed the button to lower the accelerator doors, sealing the man who was like a brother to him inside. Sealing Caitlin's fiancé inside. He remembered the gaping breaths he took after the weight of the actions fell on him that night too.

Finally, Cisco was drawn out of his relived emotions by Harrison's voice. "Cisco. Cisco, we're ready to go." Harrison declared, having wheeled back into the room behind the younger man. Cisco turned, walking towards the hallway before being stopped by Harrison, who stated, "Must be hard, coming back down here. A lot happened that night. If you feel the need to talk—"

This time Cisco was the one who interrupted, "I was just thinking," Cisco searched for his excuse, "we need to nail those voltage calculations." Harrison smiled grimly to himself, recognizing the turmoil in Cisco, "One fault, and the helium blowback could damage the mountings." Cisco finished, before he continued out of the entrance area and into the hallway.

"Smart." Harrison agreed, turning his head slightly behind himself.

* * *

**CCPD LAB | |**

Barry and Caitlin were inside the lab, the poison analysis was running on the computer in front of them, the display telling them that they had only 16 percent of the test left to go.

Barry was in his desk chair, playing with a chemistry atom model. He suddenly looked up, feeling the silence in the room, put the model down and looked to Caitlin to ask, "Can I ask you something that you don't have to answer?"

"My least favorite kind of question." Caitlin stated, standing on the opposite side of the desk and looking back at Barry, "Shoot."

"Ronnie. What was he like?" Barry asked, before sensing her discomfort and amending, "You just never talk about him that much."

Caitlin's face remained blank until she opened her mouth, "We met when we were working on the particle accelerator." She paused, "He was the structural engineer." She smiled softly to herself as she remembered his quirks, "He liked to joke that he was basically a very high-priced plumber." Barry smiled back at Caitlin, as the woman's expressions grew more animated. "We were very different." Caitlin stated to move, putting a hand on the desktop's processor as she came closer to the desk, "You and Ally might have noticed I can be a bit," Caitlin searched for the word, "Guarded." She paused, before smiling in memory of her late fiancé, "Ronnie knew how to make me laugh. He used to say we were like fire and ice." She breathed in carefully, "He wasn't supposed to be there that night." Caitlin admitted, and Barry's expression softened in sympathy, "He was just there for me. If he hadn't—"

Caitlin was cut off by the sound of the computer telling them that the test was done. The printer sent out a copy, and Caitlin reached for it, grabbing it and reading off of it as she scanned it for results. "This says that there was no residue of gas in the tissue, poisonous or otherwise."

Barry made a face to himself, and attempted to explain it, "It must have evaporated." He sighed a little, "We'll need to get a fresh sample."

Caitlin had still been reading the results and suddenly noticed something, coming around to be hover beside Barry as she read it, "Wait, this can't be right. This says that there are two distinct strands of DNA inside the tissue."

"How did someone else's DNA get inside the victim's lungs?" Barry questioned.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY SHOPPING MALL | |**

Ally was walking towards the elevator, she had finished eating and was about to head back to CCPD to check in on Barry and Caitlin. There was a woman behind her that was talking into a phone.

"Well, my docket was clear, so I stopped by the mall to pick up your homecoming dress." The woman's voice spoke behind her, before pausing, "I am a great mom." The woman paused again, "I'll see you for dinner, sweetie."

Ally realized she'd rather be listening to music, and quickly plugged in her headphones, turning on a pop song and sticking the ear buds into her ears. She hadn't noticed the bald man in a creepy all black outfit when she passed the column, but the man had noticed the woman behind Ally and was following both towards the elevator.

* * *

**CCPD LAB | |**

Inside of the Lab, Barry spoke, frustrated by the results, "There's no DNA match in the database."

"I don't understand." Caitlin added on, she had been pacing back and forth in the lab and finally came to a stop by the desk again. "Why would a chemical attack leave behind another person's DNA inside the victim?" She asked, making Barry's brain whir with the information.

"What if the meta-human we're looking for doesn't control gas?" Barry suddenly spoke, looking up to Caitlin before looking back at the display, "What if he becomes it?"

Caitlin stared back at Barry considering the possibility.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY SHOPPING MALL | |**

Ally had reached the elevator, and it had come up to fetch her and the woman who had been behind her. The woman had looked over to Ally as she pushed the group floor button, Ally nodding to say the floor was fine. Ally had already turned to look out the window at the people in the lobby, failing to notice the bald man stick his hand into the doors and force it open, before standing in front of the other woman.

"Judge Howard." The man spoke, Ally turned off her headphones but left them in, watching the reflection of the man. "It's nice to see you again." The man drawled, and Ally watched the reflection, as the other woman backed herself into a corner.

"You died." The other woman claimed.

"You say that like it was an accident." The man stated, not turning away from his intended target. "You remember the last thing you said to me in the courtroom? 'May God have mercy on your soul.'?" The man stated.

Ally turned and caught sight of the man's demented expression as he turned into gas. Ally quickly clamped her mouth shut, internalizing her oxygen. Judge Howard wasn't as lucky, being the target, and had already gasped, bringing in the poison as Ally held her oxygen and clean air in, blocking off her nose and mouth with density constructs. Ally and the judge both banged against the elevator glass furiously, as the judge collapsed from poison and Ally from lack of oxygen. The elevator hadn't moved from the top floor yet, and judge Howard collapsed against the wall, as Ally slumped down, tears in her eyes from the burning sensation occuring in her lungs.

* * *

**CCPD LAB | |**

The police radio Ally and Barry had in the lab suddenly turned on with chatter, "All available units, we have a report of a toxic gas attack at the Central City shopping mall." Barry stood up hurriedly from his chair, looking to the locker where he kept his suit. Caitlin watched him warily.

"Barry," Caitlin started, "Don't" she reached out to stop him, but Barry was already moving. "We don't know enough about what we're facing yet." Caitlin followed Barry as he opened the locker, grabbing the suit. Barry was still silent, and desperately Caitlin grabbed his arm as he turned around, panic in both their eyes. "It's not safe." Caitlin pleaded.

"Ally is in that mall," Barry reminded her, before repeating the words that Caitlin had hated hearing the last time she heard them, "Caitlin, I have to go." Barry declared, before blasting out of the lab, sending Caitlin's hair whipping into the air furiously.

Caitlin sighed to herself, holding in her emotions, before she ran a hand through her hair to fix it.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry had the suit on and was racing to the shopping mall, he had turned on the comm-link, but Cisco was unable to get the speedster anything useful until Barry entered the building.  
"I patched into the mall's security system. According to witnesses, the gas attack was in the main elevator in the north wing." Cisco told Barry over the comm, typing on the computer in front of him.

"Which one is the north wing?" Barry asked, and Harrison leaned on the mic's button, as Cisco attempted to scan for names.

"The one with The Big Belly Burger." Harrison stated. Cisco stared at him, and Harrison defended himself, "I eat."

On the other end of the line, Barry increased speed.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY SHOPPING CENTER | |**

Inside the mall, Ally and the judge had both fallen out of the elevator, both motionless. There were security guards surrounding them as the mall goers tried to crowd in to find out what caused the gas. "Back up. Please, keep back." One of the guards demanded, his arms out to herd the crowd back from them.

Barry sped through the crowd and came into the landing to find Ally was involved. Barry forced back an anguished cry, as he squatted down between the two women. Barry checked the judge first, and found that she was unconscious, Barry then looked to Ally, who was sprawled on the ground, her tote bag beside her. Barry was inexplicably grateful to see Ally eyes flutter open before the girl's hand moved to point out a small piece of the gas floating through a doorway.

Barry zoomed out of the crowd and entered the door the gas had, leaving Ally behind him as people gasped as she slowly sat up, a security guard coming to get her report of the incident.

* * *

Barry watched, breathing heavily as the gas in front of him condensed into the form of a man, "Why did you kill that woman?" Barry shouted angrily, making the man turn to face him.

The man breathed in with a snarl, "She deserved to die." The man stated, "Now go run away. I still have one more name on my list. Don't make me add you to it, I already came close to killing another," The man declared, and Barry's eyes flashed with anger, this man had almost killed Ally. His Ally.

Barry sped forwards coming to a stop and punching the man, who transformed into gas which his fist went right through.

The man reformed, and grinned at the speedster's shocked expression. The man lashed out himself, quickly hitting Barry with two punches and knocking him to the ground.

Barry got back up and punched at the man's stomach, only to find the man had changed forms and was in the toxic form. The gas form turned denser and formed a fist, promptly punching Barry in the face twice before entering the speedster's no.

* * *

Ally had been released by the guards after she showed them her badge and assured them that she would file a report that night. Ally looked to the door that Barry had entered and saw it fly open, the speedster stumbling as he ran out with his lightning following the path he made. Ally gasped in shock and quickly located an employee only door and ran into it, her tote bag in hand.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Inside the lab, Harrison and Cisco had been monitoring Barry's vitals. Harrison was getting nervous, the last thing that they had heard was a couple grunts and gasps.

"Barry." Harrison spoke into the mic, "Barry, can you hear me?" he yelled.

"His vitals are weak, but he's alive, Dr. Wells. I'm sure he's fine." Cisco explained before Barry came running in, half collapsing against the desk after blowing the papers off of the desk and sending Cisco's hair into a mess.

Barry panted, heaving in large breaths of air, Harrison grabbed Barry's elbow steadying Barry as he himself panicked. "I can't breathe." Barry panted, taking in even more heaving breaths of air.

"He needs oxygen." Harrison shouted at Cisco who went shooting out of his chair to find it. "Get the crash cart!" Harrison added and Cisco ran for it, his arms pumping wildly.

Barry collapsed until he was sitting on the floor almost underneath the desk, with Harrison now gripping his shoulder.

* * *

Air flew into Star Labs violently, she didn't stop for anything other than the automatic entrance, instead bursting into the Cortex with a gust of wind.

"Barry." Ally spoke, her modulator working to disguise her voice. She watched as Cisco and Wells heaved the speedster onto the cart. Barry was sweating and they had opened his suit jacket to give him more circulation. Cisco was using an ultrasound tool to find where the gas was, as Air came to a stop besides the bed.

"Barry!" Caitlin shouted, as she came into the lab, having just arrived. She stopped by Air and gave Ally's hand a squeeze, both to comfort Ally and to make sure the girl was safe.

Barry finally spoke, "Cut me open. The poison's still in me."

"He brought us a sample." Harrison declared, realizing what they had to do. "Caitlin, we need to do a pulmonary biopsy, extract an active portion of that gas." He commanded.

"I can't give you any anesthetic." Caitlin stated, Ally's eyes under the mask were glancing around the room wildly. "Your metabolism will burn right through it."

"I heal quick, remember?" Barry stated, "Do it."

"No." Air demanded, before facing Caitlin, "Get me a seal-able canister. I can get the poison out and get you your sample." Caitlin nodded, running off to get one.

Cisco moved over as Air nudged him, and Barry looked up to the goggle wearing hero, who gave him a tiny grin.

Harrison smiled at Ally, happy to know that Barry would not get hurt as much by the method.

Caitlin returned and watched Barry's reaction, which was mostly confused between gasps of air.

"I'm sorry about this, but it's the only thing I can think of," Air stated, before she leaned over Barry, locking their lips and sucking the poison out of Barry's lungs as he gasped. Ally had to remind herself why she was doing it, as Barry started to react to the kiss. Ally pulled away from Barry, just as the speedster tried to put a hand on the back of her head to deepen the kiss. Standing up, Ally reached out to grab the container that Caitlin was holding.

Barry's body loosened as it got an increase of fresh oxygen that Ally had manipulated to surround him. He began to black out, his body being stressed by the change, as he watched Air blow the green gas into the container before twisting the seal onto it and handing it to Caitlin before pitching forward. Barry did not see what happened immediately after as all he could see was pitch black.

Caitlin barely caught Air before she hit the floor, the heroine having passed out from the effects of holding the gas in herself for too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this one, I do plan to get the next one up soon. Being in college, my spring break will start in a little less than a week so hopefully I'll get some more done for the story then, although I make no promised. Feel free to check out my new story Flash in the Air, which is a collection of one shots from Ally and Barry's childhood through college years. I'll try to update that a couple of times between future chapters here. Also I'd love it if you all would let me know what you thought of this chapter! Thanks for reading!


	10. Gravity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so late in coming, had a ton of stuff to do last week, but I'm home with family so I am trying to visit some places here, hence why I didn't get an update out sooner. I will try to get a couple chapters up before I have to go back to School, and if I can't then I will probably add a couple things to Flash in the Air.
> 
> Fun fact: I did a Myer's—Brigg's personality test for Ally and the result was an 'ENFP' which is funny to me, if only because most people have typed Barry Allen as an 'INFP'.
> 
> Disclaimer: I have not and probably will never own the CW show, The Flash.
> 
> Thanks for Reading!

**STAR LABS | October 21** **st** **, 2014 |**

Barry woke up from his small bout of unconsciousness, still in stupor from what Air had done. He started to look around the room, and Barry's eyes, still half-lidded, landed on the still-breathing-but-unconscious and still costumed form of Air in the crash cart to the left of him. Time slowed down for Barry as he stared at his fellow hero.

Barry wanted to know why she had kissed— saved him like that. Barry tried not to blush at the memory of the contact, but could nonetheless feel his ears heating up slowly. Barry couldn't believe that she had put herself in danger to save his life. It wasn't Air's recklessness that scared Barry though, it was her selflessness. As Barry stared at the woman who he was starting to grow feelings for, time sped back up and Barry was cut off from his swirling thoughts by Cisco, who was standing on the opposite side from Air's stretcher next to Barry.

"The Streak lives." Cisco announced, grinning down at Barry from where he stood, making the speedster let out a soft groan.

"You'd be dead if it wasn't for Air and if your lung cells didn't regenerate so quickly," Caitlin stated, half still worried and half frustrated with Barry for running into that mall. She was still anxious about Ally, which only fueled her frustration with her currently conscious patient.

"My chest almost feels like that one time I had a cigarette," Barry stated softly to himself, the humor in his voice making Caitlin giving him an exasperated look, as Barry continued pulling a hand up to rest on his ribs. "Yeah, teen-me lived for danger."

"This isn't funny. You could've—" Caitlin was interrupted from her tirade, her eyes were still showing her emotions, overrun with her memories of her fiancé's death lined up with Barry's earlier trip to the mall.

"I didn't." Barry reminded her before remembering who had been in that elevator, "How's Ally?"

"She was taken home by Libby from the mall, she's doing alright and is sleeping it off from what I understand." Caitlin easily answered with her voice still on the frosty side. Her statement yielded a relieved look from Barry. Caitlin had to help Ally with this type of thing a lot, ever since the past week when her friend had revealed that she was their aerokinetic metahuman ally. Ally had asked her to help cover for her and Caitlin had agreed to help Ally hide her dual-identity from Barry, even though Caitlin firmly believed that Ally should tell Barry before it continued far too long.

Barry nodded, grateful to hear it, he was interrupted from asking anything further when Wells spoke up.

"Now that we have a sample, we'll get to work analyzing it, figure out the makeup of the poison, maybe get a clue as to his human identity." Doctor Wells stated from his position behind the main desk in the cortex. Meanwhile, Cisco helped Barry sit up fully, pushing gently on Barry's shoulder.

As soon as Barry had sat all the way up, Cisco responded to his boss, "Or at least a way to stop him from turning into a mist." His own words sunk in, before he raised a finger in the air, having an idea come to mind, "The Mist." Cisco declared, "Okay, that's his name. End of discussion."

"I have to get to the station." Barry stated, he had been staring at Air again, and he knew if he stayed in that room with her out unconscious in front of him any longer, he would not be able to resist the urge to take her goggles off and wake her up so he could finally know who she was and could question her about why she had kis—, why she did what she did.

Barry got out of the bed slowly, pushing on it to get to his feet.

"You should be resting." Harrison spoke, his eyes not leaving the computer in front of him, as his hand rested on a piece of the desk.

"I have to talk to Joe." Barry declared, as he stalked out of the room and headed out of the building.

* * *

**CCPD LAB | |**

Barry had entered the forensic lab and found Joe in front of him, the detective had gone back to the office to look into the poison case at the mall.

Joe had been sitting against the window sill, looking down at said files until a familiar voice caused him to look up at its owner.

"Joe. I had him." Barry started, "The meta-human." Barry clarified to Joe's inquisitive look, "We were wrong. He's not controlling airborne toxins. He can literally transform himself into poison gas." Barry finished.

"That's new." Joe claimed, his head moving up in surprise, "The deceased victim was a judge. We're going through some of her old cases to see if there's a connection." Joe spoke as he strode towards Barry, opening the file up to show to the CSI.

"It's too late," Barry spoke thinking about the woman's lifeless body, "I should have been faster. If I had the judge would be alive, and Ally wouldn't have been in that situation." Barry declared, staring at Joe across from him. "And if I was better at fighting, Air wouldn't currently be at Star Labs unconscious, because she… uhh– did something to save me."

"Air will be fine, she's tough and she's been doing this longer," Joe reminded Barry before continuing, not stopping to contemplate what Ally, or Air had done, "Focus on the job. Don't think about that right now." Joe stated.

"You don't want to know what I'm thinking about." Barry claimed before walking away from Joe, to approach the window and look outside, as Joe turned himself around to face him. "Ally always gets herself into these types of situations, sometimes I sincerely want to stick her and Air, who puts herself in danger for anyone, into a glass cage so they can't be in those situations." Barry declared, making Joe wince to himself. "My dad has spent 14 years in a 6x8-foot cell for a crime he didn't commit. I couldn't save my mom, but I can save him." Barry finished, he was still staring out into the window, frustrated with himself and with the tow woman.

"I agree with the whole wanting to keep Ally— and Air— safe. Ally has certainly had more than her fair share of danger, even when she was younger." Joe stated, allowing his words to sink in before he added on, "But didn't I promise you that we— you, Ally, and I would get your father out of prison, together?" Joe paused, as Barry pushed away from the window sill to stand up and face Joe once again.

"I don't need your help, Joe." Barry half shouted, "I could be in and out of there with him before anyone even sees me." Barry leaned back and sat on the window sill, as Joe took a seat on Barry's desk.

"Okay. You break him out of there." Joe offered, his hand sweeping out towards Barry, the case booklet still in hand, "Then what? He's on the run for the rest of his life. And something tell me he's not as fast as you are."

"You don't know what it's like there." Barry spoke, his voice imbued with mourning and his head shaking a little from side to side.

"You think I don't understand what you're feeling?" Joe explained, "I have been a cop for almost as long as you've been alive." Barry looked down towards his feet, "So you should know, putting on that suit does not make everybody safe. For every person you save, there's gonna be somebody you can't. And the hardest thing you're gonna have to face is not some monster out there with powers. It's gonna be that feeling of uselessness when you can't do anything." Barry blinked, letting the words soak into his own mind, "Or the guilt that weighs on you when you make a mistake." Joe stood up, and came closer to Barry, "Some things, Barry, you can't fight." The words hit Barry immediately, making Barry look up as they struck a chord in him, "Some things you just have to live with."

Barry sat there a little longer, letting the words sink further in, as Joe walked out of the lab door taking the file from the case with him.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

Eddie hated the CCPD tip lines being open, he was listing to one woman who sounded hysterical. She had just asked him if he was paying attention, forcing Eddie to reply, "Yes, I'm writing this down." Eddie spotted Iris walking into the offices, and he steeled himself on the phone, preparing to get off the phone as soon as possible. "Red streak at the mall during the gas attack. Thank you for calling." Eddie finally accomplished his task, just as his girlfriend approached the edge of his desk. He looked up at her from his desk chair, sighing to himself as he finally hung the phone up, "Never fails. Tip lines bring out the potheads and the crazies." He stated.

"Did they get a good look at the Streak's face?" Iris asked, seeming fully interested in the topic, to Eddie's disgruntlement, which he voiced.

"Not you too." Eddie got out of his place behind his desk, "What are you doing here anyway?" He asked Iris, walking towards her with adoration glazing over his eyes.

"We need to talk." Iris declared, and the pair walked out of the offices, facing each other as they did so. They made it further into the lobby, heading for the mural, when Iris began to speak again, "I thought about what you said, and—"

"I know what you're gonna say." Eddie interrupted, as the two came to stand across from each other about two yards away from the wall, "I understand. I'm your dad's partner." Eddie nodded slightly waiting for the words he had been dreading to come up.

"No, no, no, you don't understand." Iris hurriedly declared, "I have never really had a serious boyfriend. Between Dad and Ally and Barry and work, my life has been full." Iris continued, as Eddie watched her still working through her speech in his head, "And I really like you, but I thought that if I told my dad about us, then it would make this real, and suddenly, it's something that I could lose or screw up."

"I wanted it to be real." Eddie stated before steeping away and turning and starting to walk away from Iris.  
Iris spoke quickly, "Eddie," She latched onto his arm and easily spun him back to face her, closing the distance between them, putting her hands on Eddie's cheeks and trying to communicate to him her feelings in a single passionate kiss planted on his lips.

Eddie responded, the two kissing in the middle of the lobby, Eddie's hands coming to rest on the Iris's back before it ended.

Iris pulled away, her hands falling down onto Eddie's neck as they both smiled happily at each other.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry had entered Star labs to find Ally's cart had been moved into the treadmill room, and that Caitlin was sitting in there watching the heroine's chest rise and fall. Barry smiled softly at the sight and quietly entered the room, coming to a stop standing by Caitlin, who was sitting on the treadmill platform.

Barry sat down slowly, before he greeted the doctor, whose hands were clasped in front of her, "How is she?" Barry asked, glancing up to the cart, as Caitlin looked up.

"Air's stable," Caitlin claimed, watching the woman's chest rise and fall for a moment, "She just overexerted herself," Caitlin explained, and Barry's eyes hardened in frustration with Air.

"That's good," Barry stated, and Caitlin made a small hum of agreement before she faded back into her stony façade.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, leaving like that." Barry apologized, after he glanced over from Air's cart to look at the doctor, just missing the smallest twitch Air's arm made.

"It's okay," Caitlin replied, "I get it. You had to go." She reiterated, the sound the words made physically hurting her, Barry's gaze on her softening, "It's just—" Caitlin began before taking in a troubled breath, "that's the last thing that Ronnie said to me that night." Caitlin explained, her eyes focusing in on a spot of the tile floor, as Barry's face molded into one of understanding, as he nodded to himself a couple of times.

"My mother died 14 years ago." Barry started, making Caitlin's head turn to face him, before she looked down as Barry started to face her, "I used to think that the further away I got from it, the less it would hurt." Caitlin looked back at Barry, as the man paused for a moment, "But some days, the pain, it's worse than the day that it happened." Barry declared, making Caitlin look away, "Some things you can't fight." Barry claimed as he watched the doctor out of the corner of his eye.

"For so long," Caitlin started, turning her head to look into Barry's eyes, "I've been terrified of going into that hole."

"What if I went with you?" Barry offered, and the pair headed out of the room.

Ally's eyes opened slowly, and as she sat up, she glanced around the room for a moment, finding that its other occupants had left. She slowly swung her legs out of the bed, before heading out of the room to join Cisco and Doctor Wells in the control room.

* * *

Ally easily found them, they had been behind the control desk in the cortex, and Ally walked towards Cisco.

Both scientists glanced up to find the woman and Harrison smiled, before he spoke, "How long have you been awake?" He had seen Barry and Caitlin almost moments ago, the pair passing through to head down to the accelerator room.

"Long enough," Ally replied before she looked over at Cisco as he spoke.

"How about that kiss, Ally?" Cisco teased, making kissy faces at the heroine. His actions caused Ally to glare at him from underneath the cover of her goggles, while Harrison refrained from releasing a small chuckle at their actions.

Ally stalked towards Cisco, her hands coming up and forming a miniature tornado in the palm of her hands. "Mention it again, Cisco, and I'll make sure to destroy your DVD collection." She threatened, making Harrison let out a noise of amusement at Cisco's small yelp. Ally allowed a small smirk to come onto her visage before she claimed, "That's what I thought." She and Cisco both continued to make faces at each other while Harrison watched with silent amusement shining in his eyes.

* * *

**STAR LABS – ACCELERATOR | |**

Caitlin took a few experimental steps into the accelerator corridor, the same one that Ronnie had entered over nine months ago.

Barry watched her from behind, carefully observing her movements when Caitlin stopped moving forward and stood there, having fallen into her memories once again.

* * *

**STAR LABS – ACCELERATOR | December 20** **th** **, 2013 |**

Caitlin ran down the hallway and flew into the accelerator corridor, high heels pounding on the ground as she approached Cisco, "Where's Ronnie?" She shouted, now on the ramp, "Cisco, where is he?"

"He's still inside." Cisco admitted, his face mourning the fact.

"What?" Caitlin asked, before pointing her hand forcefully at the door, "Open the door."

"I can't. We're in lockdown mode." Cisco immediately informed her, making Caitlin's eyes go wide as she started to protest.

"Cisco, we have to get him out of there or he'll die." Caitlin claimed, making Cisco's shoulders tense up, before his walkie-talkie rang out with Ronnie's voice.

"Cisco, can you hear me?" Ronnie shouted through the machine.

Caitlin snatched the object and pulled it towards her, desperately shouting over it, "Ronnie, it's me."

Ronnie was on the opposite side of the door and panted heavily as the building shook with explosions, making Caitlin and Cisco look around on their side. "Caitlin." Ronnie breathed out, he didn't want her to be there. Ronnie rubbed his eyes into his arm, before dodging a shower of sparks and swallowing. Finally he asked, "Is Cisco there?"

"Yeah, Ronnie, I'm here. I'm listening." Cisco replied easily, as Caitlin watched still struggling to accept the situation.

"I adjusted the magnets to redirect the beam to try and vent the system so the blast goes up and not out." Ronnie explained through the device.

"I'll need to reset the particle parameters to compensate." Cisco replied, thrusting the device into Caitlin's hands as he rushed off to complete his task

"Cisco's doing it." Caitlin informed Ronnie, as he braced himself against the door, "There has to be another way out of there. You have to find it." Caitlin insisted as Cisco took a panel off of the wall to access the particle settings board.

"Cait," Ronnie started from his position inside the accelerator. He made a grim face before continuing, "The chain reaction, I can't reverse it."

On the other end, Caitlin's face morphed into a horrified expression, "The doors need to stay shut to protect you." Ronnie insisted, before he was forced to shield himself from more explosions, "You still there?" He asked.

"I'm here." Caitlin responded, tears threatening to fall as she clutched onto the small communication device like it was a lifeline.

On the other end, Ronnie suddenly saw fire racing through the accelerator towards him and quickly spoke, "Caitlin, whatever happens—" He was cutoff from his statement as the red energy flew down where he had been, and the explosion's sound was all that was left.

"Ronnie." Caitlin shouted, before crying out, "Ronnie!" She stood there, still holding onto the device as no response came through.

* * *

**STAR LABS – ACCELERATOR | October 21st, 2014 |**

Caitlin slowly came out of her memories, and spoke up, "He saved so many lives that day, and no one will ever know what he did." She claimed before she continued staring at the door with mourning in her eyes as Barry moved up the ramp to stand beside her.

"I do." Barry stated, making Caitlin turn to face him, "He was a hero." He reminded her, making the woman struggle with that fact.

"I didn't want him to be a hero. I wanted him to be my husband." Caitlin admitted, tears threatening to fall once again as Barry reached out to collect her in his arms for a hug.

"Barry, Caitlin, you down there?" Cisco's voice came over the PA-system, "Air's awake and you've got to come look at this." Cisco stated, and Barry removed his arms from the doctor, leading her out of the room as he strode out to the hallway.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Air was standing beside Doctor Well's chair, Cisco was in front of them, standing beside one of the displays which was currently giving them an in-depth view of a chemical molecule. "Hey, check this out." Cisco greeted, as Barry and Caitlin entered the cortex.

Ally turned over her shoulder and gave the newcomers a small grin which faltered as Caitlin approached her, the doctor giving Air a threatening glare for her penchant for trouble. Air also barely managed not to flinch as she felt Barry's frustrated glance fall on her.

"It's a 3D molecular model of the gas we retrieved from your lungs." Cisco pointed at the screen making Caitlin and Barry both switch their glances away from Ally to look at it, Caitlin's head tilting slightly to the side as she did so.

"We have identified the toxin." Harrison explained.

"Hydrogen Cyanide." Ally spoke in Air's modulated voice at the same time as Barry questioned,

"Hydrogen cyanide?"

"What's interesting is what's mixed in with the cyanide," Harrison pointed out, raising his thermos to his mouth as he took a sip from it. Caitlin's head was still tilted and Barry's brow began to furrow.

"A sedative." Air interjected.

"Of course." Barry's hand flew to his forehead before he removed it and continued to speak, "The night of the explosion, find out if anyone was executed."

"Why?" Harrison asked, as Caitlin moved away from the rest of them to go to the main desk, looking for the information.

"That sedative is given to criminals on death row before they go to the gas chamber and breathe in hydrogen cyanide." Barry explained, and Air's hand took his previous course of action, flying up to land on her forehead.

"That's right." Doctor Wells and Air both spoke in unison.

"There was someone executed." Caitlin announced, before she pulled up the man's picture, routing it onto the display. "Kyle Nimbus." She spoke.

"That's him." Barry confirmed, and Air nodded to herself. Barry wouldn't know how she knew but she figured he'd assume she knew the guy from her patrols.

"He was a hit man for the Darbinyan crime family," Caitlin skimmed through the file for any pertinent information, "They turned on him and testified. Judge Theresa Howard was the judge at his trial. She sentenced him to death." She finished, as Harrison speculated.

"He must have been affected by the explosion while he was being gassed."

"Records indicate the execution was completed." Cisco pointed out. Air followed the flow of conversation but refused to weigh in just yet.

"That's why there wasn't a match. The DNA database only has records of the living." Barry confirmed to Caitlin.

"Right." Air agreed, Doctor Wells also nodding in agreement.

"He said there was one more person on his list." Barry glanced around before he strode towards the desk, pointing to the computer, "Check the arrest record. Who caught him?" Caitlin turned to do just that as Barry passed by Air, "That could be his next attack."  
"Barry, the lead detective." Caitlin announced, and Barry and Ally's eyes both went wide, it would've been Joe.

* * *

**IRON HEIGHTS | |**

Meanwhile, Joe was checking in to the facility at the visitor desk. "Here to see Henry Allen."

"Sign here." The desk worker pointed at the log, and from behind the desk pulled out a small bin. "Personal effects here."

At the same time, Nimbus was marching up to and then phased through the gate.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

Eddie had still been at CCPD, when his phone rang at his desk.

"Eddie." Barry's voice was frantic.

"Barry, what's up?" Eddie greeted.

"Hey, do you know where Joe went?" Barry was pacing around Star Labs, as Air seemed to watch him anxiously, "He's not picking up his cell." Barry finished.

"Uh, not sure." Eddie knew, but Joe had asked him not to tell Barry where he was headed.

"Eddie, it's really important I speak to him." Barry circled around the desk but was stopped from further pacing by Air's arm landing on his shoulder as a way to tell him to calm down, "I need to know where he went."

"He went to Iron Heights to see your dad." Eddie admitted, and Barry hung up on the other end, looking down at the phone in slight shock.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |  
**

Air stood in front of Barry as he stared down at his phone.

From behind Ally, Caitlin held out an injection gun, "Barry." Barry and Ally both looked at her before following her back into the cortex, "I reverse-engineered an antidote to the toxin. I hope you won't need it." She handed it to Barry.

"I'm going with you." Ally declared, her modulated statement getting an immediate reaction from Barry.

"No. You're not coming with." Barry demanded, and had to keep in his flinch when the woman seemed to glare from underneath her goggles, her lips going into a thin line below them.

"I'm going and that's final." Air glared up at him from her height, and Barry yielded, nodding. "Good." Ally murmured as Barry ran off to get dressed.

"When we get back, Air, I want to talk to you." Barry stated, as he landed in front of the woman, himself now fully clothed.

Ally acknowledged his demand with a firm nod and the two heroes quickly made their way out of the lab, and took off.

* * *

**IRON HEIGHTS | |**

Henry had been taken from his cell, and was taken into the visiting room, with its glass window and phone system. He had thought maybe Barry had come to visit but was surprised and unnerved when he saw it was Joe sitting on the opposite side of the glass. He striding up to the seat, watching Joe, the detective sitting calmly on the other side. As Henry took his seat, both of the grabbed the phone. "What are you doing here? Is Barry all right?" Henry asked, worry present in his question.

"He's fine." Joe replied, making Henry lean back in his seat and watch the detective with hard questioning eyes.  
"Then to what do I owe this visit?" Henry questioned, his voice laced with venomous thoughts. Joe had been his friend, and then the man did not listen to him and was one of the reasons he was on the opposite side of the glass.

"I know I should have come to see you sooner." Joe apologized, a meaningful look and frown on his face.

"You just weren't up for a little chitchat with a man who murdered his wife in front of his own son?" Henry mockingly questioned, as he sat up to his full height.

"Except now I know you didn't kill your wife." Joe stated, and Henry's eyes lost any hint of malice.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Ally and Barry were speeding through the streets, both racing to get to Joe. Ally was flying a little faster than the speedster, using her air to propel her further and faster.

At Star labs, Cisco was monitoring their process and spoke into his mic, "Barry, Air, I pulled up the specs on Iron Heights Prison." Cisco walked away from the large monitor and walked to the main cortex desk. "Its maximum security, but I think I can talk you through breaking in there." Cisco offered.

"Don't bother. I've been figuring out how to break into that place since I was 11." Barry claimed, making Ally snort softly.

"Same here." She spoke.

Barry's eyes widened at the admission of personal information. He shook it off, there was no use in looking into a small tidbit of information now. He had bigger fish to fry.

* * *

**IRON HEIGHTS | |**

"Some new evidence has come to light." Joe explained, "I can't go into detail. It's just…" Joe trailed off, "Look, the important thing is, I'm reopening the case. I'm gonna find out who really killed Nora, and I promise you, Henry, I'm going to get you out of here." Joe claimed before apologizing, "I am so sorry."

"It doesn't matter that you didn't believe in me," Henry replied, realizing it as he spoke, "Because you always believed in my son." Henry and Joe regarded each other through the glass, watching each other's faces nod in agreement. Henry's eyes flickered away from Joe as he caught sight of a thick patch of green entering the room and catching hold of and choking one of the guards in the room.

Joe caught the sound of the guard choking and turned around surprised. He slowly approached the gas which was forming back into the form of "Nimbus." Joe realized, "You're supposed to be dead."

"Same to you." Nimbus argued, and stretched his hands up towards the detectives face before he transformed himself into the green toxic gas. As gas, nimbus threw himself into Joe's nose, sending the man into a slight seizure.

"Joe?" Henry questioned before watching the gas leave the detectives body. Henry began to pound furiously on the glass he was enclosed by. "Joe! Help!" He shouted, as the gas escaped through the air vent above them, "Guards! Somebody help!" Henry shouted again, pounding heavier on the glass as he looked down at the two fallen bodies on the floor, Joe was still shaking. Henry quieted as with a red and white blur, two forms entered the room.

Barry and Ally stopped both hovering over Joe's seizing body. Air began to move as if to draw the poison out of the man, Barry grabbed her arm and shook his head at her, instead taking the antidote Star Labs had made and shooting it into the detective's neck.

Both Air and the Streak watched with bated breath before they both suddenly remembered that they were not alone and looked up at the frozen Henry. Barry vibrated his face as Air just stared through her goggles at Barry's father.

Henry took in a confused breath of air. Barry and Ally both returned to watching Joe, Barry stopping his vibrations, Joe's eyes opened and slowly took a few breaths. Barry and Air shared a relieved grin before glancing back down at the detective.

"Go get him." Joe commanded, the pair let out unison breaths of relief before they both stood and flew/sped out of the room as Henry watched still perplexed by the happenings.

* * *

**STREET | |**

Ally landed in front of Nimbus, as Barry came to a stop directly beside her.

"So you've come to finish what the gas chamber couldn't?" Nimbus mocked, as Barry breathed out heavily, and Air's gaze hardened on the man.

"We won't let you continue this." Air's voice shouted, the deep and normally calm tone pierced by her fury.

"You're going somewhere you can't hurt anyone ever again." Barry claimed.

"Wrong." Nimbus stated before he transformed into a massive wall of gas.

"He used the antidote on Joe." Caitlin spoke to Harrison on the other end of the comms as Air threw up a solid air construct, building a sealed box like shape around the mist.

Ally swallowed a nervous breath, and held the gas within her construct.

"You need to stay away from him. Do not breathe him in." Caitlin spoke over the comms.

The air cage had worked for a moment before the gas began to permeate the construct and threatened to break out of it. Air let out a deep gasp as it broke, and Barry quickly pulled her into himself and sped back from the gas.

The gas kept up for the most part, and finally Barry set Air down on her feet, the two sharing a look as Barry spoke into the comm. "I'm not sure how that helps us, guys."

Nimbus had reformed and Barry grabbed Air again, the woman forming a cone like construct around them before Barry charged at the man, who transformed, causing the duo to go straight through the mist.

"You can't fight him, Barry." Caitlin's voice started up again as Barry set Air down when they stopped to look at their opponent, "Just keep him coming at you. That should sap his strength." She offered.

"Gas is the least stable form of matter." Air spoke into her comm, remembering the fact.

"She's right, which means that this meta-human will not be able to stay in his mist form for long. His particles will need to reform." Doctor Wells confirmed, and on the other end, Barry and Air nodded to each other before Air took off in flight and Barry sidestepped the gas before running down the large stretch of asphalt. Air was flying upside down, her head facing the mist as she and Barry kept pace. Air formed a ball of whirlwind and sent it into the gas before she flipped herself over and stayed flying above Barry.

Barry took a small break as he let the gas catch up, air hovering above him before they both took off as the gas struggled to keep up. They stopped after they got a good ways away, this time Air landing next to Barry as they turned around to watch Nimbus reform into his human form.

Nimbus breathed out heavily before he glared at the pair and phased into gas. He rushed them and Barry grabbed Air and pushed the pair of them into the grassy ditch to the side of the road. The pair quickly got to their feet as Nimbus reformed, now gasping and coughing.

Barry and Ally joined forces, and Ally hardened the air around Barry as he took off, successfully hitting Nimbus and knocking him to the ground with a grunt. Air flew over and landed besides her partner, the two sharing a smile before glancing down at the out cold Nimbus.

"Barry." Doctor Wells spoke through the Comm, before getting nervous at the lack of response. "Air, Barry." He finally shouted.

"We're here Wells," Air spoke into her comm.

"We win." Barry announced, sighing out in happiness at the fact.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

The two heroes had traveled back to the lab, Nimbus in Barry's grasp. Barry had relinquished the man's body to Cisco and the rest of Star Labs, who had taken him to be imprisoned in their new prison. Barry had changed out of the suit and had found himself standing in the hallway entrance staring at Air, who had a small object in hand before she slipped it into her pocket.

"I know you're there Barry." Ally spoke, softness in her modulated tone before she turned to face him.

Barry had frozen in the doorway as he watched her, "How?" He sputtered, making the woman place a hand on one hip.

"I can feel your breath in the air." Air explained, and Barry made a slight 'o' with his mouth before getting over it and approaching her.

"I need to go visit Joe," Barry started, "Can we talk later tonight?" Barry asked his hand coming to land on the heroine's shoulder softly, as the woman's goggles tilted up to look at him.

"Fine by me," Air agreed, "I'll meet you on top of Jitters at— let's say, midnight?" Ally offered, before she gave him a gentle smile.

"Sounds good." Barry agreed, his hand lingering on her shoulder before it fell down.

"Don't be late." Air mocked softly as she watched the speedster take off from the lab.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY GENERAL HOSPITAL | |**

Barry and Ally, both in their civilian clothes had arrived at the hospital at similar times, and Ally had purposefully messed her hair up as to look like she had just woken up. Barry had spotted her after he had cleared the visitor desk and had automatically closed the distance between them, and hugged the younger woman to himself.

"Hey Bare," Ally greeted softly, as her friend finally let her go.

"Hey Al," Barry spoke back, smiling despite there being worry in his eyes.

Ally watched his eyes skim over her as if to check for any injuries before groaning at him, "I'm fine, Barry."

Barry gave her an apologetic smile, to which Ally answered by grabbing onto his hand and beginning to pull him with her to the elevator. The elevator came moderately fast down to pick them up.

"I'm assuming you're here to visit Joe." Barry stated.

"Yeah, Chelsea texted me earlier to say that Joe was admitted to the ER," Ally explained, "She mentioned that there was a poison case like at the mall that happened at Iron Heights." Ally's hand hadn't let go of Barry's yet and she subconsciously squeezed his hand softly.

"Yeah, Air and I took care of the meta." Barry's voice dropped down to a whisper, and Ally forced her eyes to widen, as she moved in front of him. Barry's eyes were focused on the fact that their hands were still attached.

"Are you okay?" Ally asked, and Barry nodded and opened his mouth to speak.

He was prevented from doing so as the bell rang. The elevator doors opened slowly and the pair silently made their way down the hospital hallway, hands still joined.

Chelsea had stepped out of Joe's door way and her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as she caught sight of the pair. She beamed at them both, making them both unlace their fingers and immediately regret the absence of warmth.

Ally's face turned red, and she stared at the ground, ' _She's never going to let that go.'_ Ally told herself.

Barry was glaring at Chelsea half-heartedly, as the woman smiled at him like a cat who had eaten the canary.

Ally and Barry filed past a now smirking Chelsea into the small room, and both took seats in the two chairs by the door. Chelsea left the room, after writing down Joe's vitals from the monitor.

After Chelsea left, Ally lasted only ten minutes before her head started to droop.

Barry glanced over and fought back a chuckle at the sight. He slowly stretched his arms out and landed one behind her shoulders, using the arm to pull the sleepy blonde closer to himself. Soon enough, Ally's head had landed with a soft thud on Barry's shoulder. Barry smiled to himself at the sight before he began to slow nod off as well, it had been a long day, and he still had a meeting with Air to get through that night.

* * *

Barry woke up slowly before he looked down at the blonde in his arms and smiled softly down at her.

"It's been a while since I watched you two sleep." Joe's voice rumbled with laughter, as Barry laughed softly at the claim, and rubbed the sleep dust from his eyes. With the same hand, he reached over and poked Ally softly, making the girl's eyes flutter open as her head came off of his shoulder. Barry easily extricated his arm from behind her.

"Rescuing you is exhausting." Barry teased Joe, before he and Ally both sat up a little in their chairs.

"Good to see you're unharmed," Ally mentioned to Joe.

"Same to you," Joe stated, as the woman she let out a yawn and began to stretch out her arms.

"I really miss the ability to be able to ground you," Joe half-jokingly told Barry, as Barry and Ally both pushed themselves out of their chairs and walked towards him, stretching out their legs.

"Sorry I went and grew up." Barry claimed, before he reached and clasped Joe's hand in his.

"You never had the ability to ground me," Ally stated, smirking softly at the man who had been a third father figure to her. Joe smiled up at her.

"I could have got my dad out of Iron Heights tonight." Barry murmured out loud more so to Joe as Ally put a hand on the elbow of his closest to her in comfort.

"I know." Joe agreed, looking up at Barry to wait for the response.

"But you were right. That's not the way." Barry declared, and Joe and Ally both nodded in approval.

"Daddy." Iris had entered the room and ran over to hug her father, Eddie remaining on the outskirts of the room as Barry nodded his acknowledgement and Ally gave him a small grin.

"Oh." Joe muttered in surprise, his arms coming down to hold his daughter to him, before he spoke, "Baby, I'm fine. Don't worry."

Barry began to bite his lip, as he realized that Joe would realize why the newcomers had entered together. "I'll let you guys talk." Barry announced, before he pulled Ally out of the room with him, he had noticed that she had been watching the pair with amused and expectant eyes.

* * *

"Barry," Ally groaned childishly at him, "I wanted to see that." She told him, as he got her completely out of the room. "Can we at least go back and listen?" Ally asked, as they started down the hallway.

"Let them have their privacy," Barry laughingly told her as she kept pace with him, the pair walking through the hallway. He looked down at her and found himself smiling at the woman's attempt to persuade him to go back, "You know that your puppy-dog eyes don't work on me anymore." Barry told her, amusement flashing in his eyes, _it didn't mean that he didn't find it cute_.

"You're so mean to me." Ally joked, grinning up at him. The pair made it out of the hospital and soon headed their separate ways to go back to their apartments.

* * *

Back in the hospital room, Joe had given Eddie a small glance before he greeted him, "Partner." He paused for a moment before observing, "You two arrive at the same time?" he looked between them, as Eddie forced a smile and Iris glance back at the blonde detective.

The couple shared a glance, before Iris faced Joe and began, "Dad, we have something that, um, we need to tell you." Iris paused, as Joe gave her an expectant look, "Dad, the thing is—" Joe cut her off.

"You two are dating." Joe announced, making Eddie and Iris share a shocked glance before Joe nodded, "I know."

"You do?" Iris questioned, having turned back to face him.

"I'm a detective, remember?" Joe stated, making both sigh, and share a guilty look, "And both of you are lousy liars." Joe finished, making Iris grin to herself and Eddie to let out a relieved breath.

"So you're not mad?" Eddie asked.

"Oh, I'm mad." Joe disagreed, making Eddie's grin fall into a look of fear, "And if Chelsea and the doctor hadn't confiscated my gun, we'd be having an entirely different conversation." Joe glanced up at Iris, whose lips pursued together, before she glanced to Eddie.

"Well, I should let you two talk," Eddie began, before adding on, "and I'll just be outside," he took a step back before muttering out loud, "looking into the witness protection program." Iris watched him back out of the room apologetically before she faced her father.

"I'm sorry." Iris apologized.

"Iris, this is going to be complicated." Joe reprimanded, "You know I don't like complicated." He glanced up at his daughter who looked down at the ground disappointedly, "Do you like him?" Joe asked, making her smile at him before she answered.

"Yeah, I do."

"Then I will do my damnedest not to shoot him." Joe decided after closing his eyes. He opened them to find Iris smiling brilliantly at him.

"That is all I ask." She agreed.

* * *

**STAR LABS – ACCELERATOR | |**

Caitlin, Cisco and Doctor Wells were in accelerator corridor, looking at Nimbus who was angrily grunting and slamming into the glass, he alternated between his human and gas forms.

"Will it hold?" Caitlin asked her boss and co-worker, both of whom had their arms crossed over their chests.

"The barrier is powered by an 8.3 Tesla superconducting electromagnet," Cisco stated, making Caitlin look at him inquisitively, "which is about 100,000 times the strength of earth's magnetic field." He finished, and Wells looked to the sole woman in the room to see if she understood Cisco's answer.

She didn't and so Harrison clarified, "In other words, yes."

Caitlin granted his statement with a small nod. She sighed as Nimbus grunted before he slammed into the glass once more.

"Hmm." Harrison spoke, "He's mad." He watched as their first prisoner morphed and yelled some more before Harrison clicked a button on the remote he had in his lap, "Well, good night." He stated, as the door slide itself shut.

Caitlin drew in a breath before she started questioning, "So we're just supposed to get used to working above a makeshift prison housing evil people with superpowers." She finished.

"You'd be surprised what you can get used to, Caitlin." Harrison stated, looking at the fellow doctor before he smiled at his two employees and wheeled himself around to turn and then headed out of the corridor.

Caitlin went to follow but was stopped by Cisco, "Caitlin. Could I talk to you for a second?" Cisco asked, making the woman turn to face him.

"Sure. What's up?" Caitlin questioned, her face worried as she looked at his anxious expression.

"It's about the night that Ronnie died." Cisco started, before he took a long breath, "I—"

"Look," Caitlin interrupted, making the Latino close his eyes and open them again, "Cisco, I'm okay." Caitlin claimed, "I thought coming down here would undo me, but thinking about what Ronnie did to protect us—" Caitlin paused, as Cisco's eyebrows fell into an empathetic look, "It just made me love him more."

Caitlin smiled, making Cisco give her a gentle one in return.

"Come on." Caitlin commanded, tilting her head to the exit, "I need ice cream or a drink. Let's see which one we hit first." She declared, making her co-worker smile at her.

* * *

**JITTERS ROOFTOP | |**

12:05, Ally could read on her encrypted phone's screen. She tapped her foot on the floor, impatiently, ' _fastest man alive, still five minutes late'_ Ally laughed to herself mentally.

"Oi!" Barry protested behind her, making the woman blink as she realized what she had done.

Ally ignored the realization and spun around to face the speedster. "You heard me, Allen, I told you not to be late," Air's deep voice spoke, crackling with laughter as she turned to face Barry. A small smirk rested on her features.

"I was talking to my dad, lost track of the time." Barry explained, "And well, I'm here now." Barry stated, before he closed the distance between them, walking towards the woman in front of him. "I wanted to talk to you about earlier." Barry declared, and reached for the woman's wrist.

"I am not going to apologize for saving your life." Air contested, before pulling her arm away from Barry's grasp. She blinked and found her other wrist clasped in his hand.

"You're like this friend of mine, everywhere she goes, she is always getting into trouble, I swear you're as reckless as she is," Barry started, before he paused, noticing Air's pursued lips, "My point is, I'm not asking you to apologize."

Ally nodded, as if telling Barry to continue, and so he did.

Barry looked to the woman's goggles before he questioned her, "I want to know why, you," Barry stammered over the words before collecting them, "Why you kissed me, and why you won't tell me who you are." He demanded.

"I'm sorry that I kiss—" Air stammered, and coughed before she continued, "used my mouth, but it didn't mean anything to me." Barry felt a pinprick of pain in his chest at the statement and he dropped her wrist, "I know that there is somebody else in your life that you like, and I don't want to complicate that for you." Ally explained in the modulated voice, thinking about Iris.

"Yeah," Barry agreed, thinking not of his adopted sister, but of his other best friend.

"And as for all the secrecy," Ally began, "If I told you it would give it away. I need you to trust me, Allen." Air claimed, "But I'm not trying to hurt you in anyway by keeping my identity hidden, I'm just someone who wants to protect this city." Ally explained, hoping that those words would come back to him if he ever did find out it was her under those goggles. She turned and began to walk to the edge of the roof but was stopped as Barry grabbed her wrist as to stop her and spoke.

"You do know that if I really wanted to, I could find out who you are in a hundredth of a second." Barry informed her.

"I know." Air answered, before she looked over her shoulder and gave him a firm smile. "But I know you, Barry Allen, and I know that when it comes to secrets that you'd rather figure it out on our own or wait until someone decides that you should know." Ally declared, before she stepped up onto the roof's raised edge and took a step off, plummeting before she shot upwards into the sky and past a shocked Barry. She hovered there for a moment, before she shouted at him, "Coming, partner?" she questioned before shooting off across the skyline.

Barry grinned to himself, before he easily took off following the White shape in the sky as the two went off on the patrol for the night.

* * *

**WEST RESIDENCE | |**

Iris finished typing in her latest post for her blog, and she smiled at her work. "The Streaks live," the blog title read. She sighed to herself for her accomplishment before she glanced over to the picture resting on the end table.

It was of her with Barry and Ally, from the last thanksgiving they all had together, Barry was in the middle, with Ally and Iris resting their arms on his shoulders and leaning in.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Harrison Wells had remained in the Cortex after Caitlin and Cisco had gone for ice cream. He stared at the glass enclosed flash suit silently, holding his gaze as he sipped on a glass of whiskey. Harrison smiled to himself as he gave it a hard once over and he began to remember the night the Accelerator exploded.

* * *

**STAR LABS | December 20th, 2013 |**

Harrison was standing in the cortex, behind the console desk when Cisco's voice came over the PA system.

"Dr. Wells. Dr. Wells," Cisco shouted, "Ronnie did it. He vented the system. STAR Labs should hold."

"Good man." Harrison replied, before he wetted his lips, "I'm on my way down." He turned and exited the cortex, but when he entered the hallway it was not the Accelerator Corridor he headed to, rather it was the mysterious slide apart panel on the wall of the hallway. He glanced around himself before he pushed his palm into the button to open the secret room. The wall slide apart and Harrison easily passed through, the lights inside of the room turning on as he did.

Harrison pulled his glasses off, folding them and putting them into his jacket pocket as he approached the console pillar in the other end of the room. He put his hand over the circle on it, making a hologram project itself onto the space in front of him.

The projection showed Barry Allen standing in his lab and being struck by the fateful strike of lightning as he pulled on the chains. The screen went dark and Harrison pushed on the console once more, changing the view to that of a view from the ground of Alexa Roberts skydiving, the woman fumbling with her parachute straps before she too was struck by a burst of energy and a lightning bolt. The film was turned off by Harrison who smiled to himself.

"See you soon, Ally, Barry," Harrison declared.


	11. Visitor

_What does the fastest man alive do on his day off? Before the lightning bolt, if Barry wasn't still at the crime lab with me, he'd be at home just chilling, or at my apartment hanging out. For the woman who can fly, I'd probably be found the exact same places back then. But now our time off is different._

_Now our time is spent crime fighting as a team, as partners in and out of the lab, even if Barry thinks he's working with two different people. But the lightning didn't just give Barry speed or me my aerokinetic abilities. It also gave us new friends._

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | October 28** **th** **, 2014 |**

Ally had gotten in late the night before, at four in the morning, having spent the majority of the night breaking up an entire crime mob's meeting and putting the captured members by the back door of CCPD, and then saving two young females from the hold of 5 gang-bangers. It was only seven in the morning when she groggily sat up, having heard knocking on the door, accompanied by Barry's voice.

"Al! Open up!" Barry was whisper yelling into the door, "C'mon! Star Labs wants me to bring you with me."

Ally's eyes flew open, and she looked around the room to find her costume lying by her laundry basket. She hurriedly picked it up and glanced around the room analyzing the situation.

"If you don't open the door, I'm gonna come in." was the next thing Ally heard, as she stashed the suit in the bottom of her tote as per usual and set it down beside her bed before she walked in the direction of the door.

"I do have a key, remember." Barry said before opening the door and easily rushing into the doorway of the bedroom and toppling Ally, who squeezed her eyes shut, on to her back. Barry barely managed to catch himself slightly, holding himself up right above Ally.

Barry's face quickly colored as he noted her state of dress, and her position sprawled out beneath him. He stared down at her lips, and began to lean his head down towards her before freezing when her eyes fluttered back open. Barry's face was suspended a mere six inches away from hers, he could feel his heart beating rapidly as if it would burst out of his chest if he couldn't get it to calm down.

"Morning, Bare," Ally sleepily groaned up at the frozen man, "Umm, Bare, you can get off of me," Ally tried to shimmy out from underneath him, but hissed as she realized that she felt pain all over her stomach.

Barry immediately started to get up, before he froze up as he caught sight of her arms and stomach.

Ally looked up at him, curiously as her ears began to grow warm, and followed his gaze to where her shirt, well Barry's old university one, had ridden up and was giving him a clear view of the bruises littering her stomach and it's short sleeves giving him one of the ones running around her arms. She quickly became flustered as she tried to explain, "I— I tripped over the couch last night, hit the table." She tried, making Barry's eyes narrow as he mentally took inventory of her injuries.

"There's a lot more bruises than a couch and a table could give you," Barry argued, meeting her eyes before insisting, "Tell me what is going on with you. Please Ally, I need to know what's hurting you. I can help you."

"Bare," Ally groaned at him, before using her hands to flip them over so she could get up. "I really can't tell you," She offered him a hand to pull him up, and Barry allowed her to pull him off of the floor.

"Ally." Barry warned, practically growling as he straightened up to his full height and glare down at the object of his recent frustration, who bit her lip in hesitation which Barry noticed with a hitch in his breath.

"I promise you that I'm not in danger." Ally stated, her right hand coming up to run through her messed up hair.

"Fine," Barry finally relented, before he crossed the distance between them to hug her tightly into him, scenarios of her in danger, or her being hurt running through his head as he tried to fabricate the reason why she couldn't tell him. "If you ever are, Al. Let me know and I'll beat them up for you, or I can ask Air to help me." Barry offered, before he reluctantly released the woman from his hold.

"Deal." Ally agreed, stepping away before she looked down at her clothes, "Now, if we're going to Star labs, I should change," Ally stated, and Barry blinked as she walked over to her dresser to fetch clothes.

Barry continued to watch her until she began to lift the hem of her shirt, at which point he blushed. "I—I'll be outside." Barry stuttered out, before he sped out of the room and closed the door behind him, leaning his back against it as he caught the sound of her snickering at him.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry sped away from Doctor Wells after stopping the clock as he finished playing his move in their game of speed chess. He took some time to rally a ping pong ball between him and Cisco, the duo going back and forth easily.

Meanwhile, Ally was staring at the Jenga tower in front of her, as she poked and prodded at some of the pieces to see if she could remove any of them without it falling down. She and Barry had both had extensive classwork in physics so she was able to finally pick a piece and remove it carefully, leaving the tower still standing up.

"This isn't even remotely anatomically correct." Caitlin yelled, from next to the blonde, as the buzzer on the operation game went off once again as the tweezer's metal hit the edge of the barrier she was trying to reach past. Ally laughed from her table next to the doctor as Barry sped over.

He came to a stop in front of the blonde and easily removed a piece from the tower and set it on top, making his best friend's shoulders slump slightly in disappointment that the blocks hadn't toppled.

Barry smiled at the look on her face, as Ally went back to finding a piece to pull out, biting on her lip.

Barry took a couple steps over to the other desk and bent over the operation board to deftly pluck an object from the man's body, looking up at the doctor and taunting, "That's not the point, Dr. Snow." He sped away, making Caitlin's hair blow back and Ally shield the tower with a wall of wind, Barry not noticing it.

"Then what is the point?" Caitlin shot back, as she looked over her shoulder at the speedster who had returned to rallying the ping pong ball with Cisco.

Ally looked to the disgruntled woman next to her and grinned, before watching Barry as he spoke up.

"To have fun." Barry claimed.

"And to continue your ongoing training," Wells drawled from inside one of the mini labs, having played his piece and looked over his shoulder to the speedster. "By testing the speed of your mind by pushing your ability to multitask."

Barry sped over, not taking even an entire second to move his piece before speeding back to hit the ball to Cisco. After the ball left his paddle he came running back up to the chess table, stopping the clock and declaring to the scientist, "I'm waiting on you, Dr. Wells." Barry sped back to the ping pong table, to continue his rally.

Doctor Wells rolled one of the chess pawns in his fingers as Barry continued his rally, Wells smiled to himself.

* * *

**4** **TH** **STREET | |**

A black hawk truck had driven over the railroad tracks, inside of its driver cabin were two security guards. The passenger was reading up on their cargo, yawning to himself as the other guard drove them past another intersection, where a motorcyclist covered in black with a gun on his back waited.

The motorcyclist, his face covered in a black helmet mask, looked around himself to his co-workers, as their boss spoke coldly over their radio, "182 seconds, gentlemen." The motorcyclist revved his engine, his tires burning against the pavement as he raced off after the truck.

Another cyclist clad in the same outfit crossed his path as they were within one car length of the truck.

"Heads up!" the guard in the passenger seat spoke, having caught sight of the men in the mirror on his side. "I think we got something." He clarified to the driver, who had looked over at him from the road.

The driver looked into his own mirror and caught sight of one of the motor cyclists, before losing sight of the motorist as they came into the trucks blind spot, making both guards careen their heads to look out of the windows for the men.

A tow truck was driving backwards at them, making both guards look into the passenger side's mirror, and causing confused looks to form.

Both of the cyclists dropped back and grabbed a hook from the tow truck and brought their hooks up to the armored truck, hooking them through the convenient loops on either side of their target. The tow truck began to pull automatically and brought the armored vehicle off of its back wheels as the both trucks spun to a stop.

"211, 211 – we are being robbed," the passenger spoke, turning on his police radio to call in the incident.

The tow truck stepped harshly on the brakes, as both cyclists yanked the guards out of the truck. The cyclist on the right smacking the guard who had sat passenger across the face with his gun. He pointed the gun at the downed guard before his boss reprimanded him.

"Hey, cool it." The Boss demanded, as he clambered out of the truck, a tank of nitrogen on his back as he walked on top of their stolen tow truck to approach the black hawk vehicle.

The cyclist with the driver held his gun steadily at the driver, whose hands were up in the air.

"A hundred fifty-eight seconds to go." The Boss reminded his crew, as he leveled the hose from his tank at the back door of their target. He pulled on the rigger, sending a frosty mist onto the door.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Ally triumphantly plucked a piece from the side of the tower and stuck it on top of the jenga tower, humming with satisfaction at the action.

Looking over at the woman for a split second, Barry almost lost focus before time froze. He turned back to look at the ping pong ball headed towards him before he smacked it, sending it past Cisco, who turned to watch it pass by his paddle, just out of reach.

The ball smacked into the wall, as Harrison spoke up from the Chess table, "Checkmate." He declared.

Barry sped over immediately, and stared at the board before he remembered the words, "Wait, checkmate?" Barry echoed, and raised his head slowly to look at his elder. In the background, Ally moved from her chair to stand with Cisco next to Caitlin, and was peering amusedly at Barry and smirking at him slightly before sticking her tongue out at him. Barry repressed the urge to smile goofily at her and instead sent his gaze back to Wells.

"Checkmate." Harrison confirmed, smiling ambiguously at the younger man's reaction, "I guess we still have a few things left to learn, don't we, Mr. Allen?" Harrison leaned back, in his seat for a moment before straightening as a beeping noise started from one of the monitors.

"Armed robbery at 4th and Collins." Cisco announced, pointing at the screen, Ally flinched from beside Caitlin and the pair shared a look.

Their silent conversation ended with a pouting look coming over the blonde's face, she wouldn't be able to make it to help Barry as Air. She had been scolded by Caitlin to not leave to be Air in the presence of Barry, and Ally also couldn't move quite as fast as Barry when it came to getting dressed or using her speed in fights. Ally and Caitlin shared one last glance before looking to Barry as he walked towards the glass display cabinet which held his suit.

"For the record, I crushed it in Operation, Jenga, and ping pong." Barry declared, a happy look on his face at the thought of possibly running into Air earlier than normal flashed through his brain. He changed into the costume in a blur of lightning before taking off out of the lab, making Ally, Cisco and Caitlin's hair blow backwards, papers from one of the desks go flying, and the Jenga tower topple over.

Caitlin turned back to the operation game and attempted to pluck a piece, but came into contact with the side and jumped. Ally snickered at her as she claimed, "It's not as easy as it looks." Caitlin fixed Ally with an icy glare before demanding, "If you think it's that easy, you try it."

"Oh, yeah?" Ally asked, before leaning over to snatch the tweezers. "Just watch me," Ally's tweezers went in and out of the board, her targeted piece of plastic in between the two metal pieces as it came out. "See." Ally gloated, as Caitlin let out a long groan of disappointment and Cisco let out a loud whoop of amusement.

* * *

**4** **TH** **AND COLLINS | |**

With a grunt, the boss of the robbers jumped into the cargo door of the truck, both masses falling into the truck.

On the outside, a blur came streaking out to the truck, before slamming into one of the robbers who was at the driver's door of the tow truck. Barry continued towards one of the cyclists and kicked the man away from the guard and over his bike before continuing forwards and looping back around.

As he did, the boss climbed out of the doorway of the truck to investigate the noise.

Barry sped into the remaining cyclist, knocking him off of his feet over his bike as well. Barry looped around the guard and back before he turned and entered the black hawk truck's driver door and ran through the truck, knocking the boss forwards out of the truck's back door.

The boss hit his canister on the ground with a clang, clawed at the asphalt, before he pulled his mask off and watched as the object that hit him continued away from the truck.

Behind the boss, one of the guards had gotten up and began to run away, only to be hit by the hot headed cyclist with three gunshots to the back "Ugh!" The guard cried out, falling to the ground, bleeding as the red blur began to head towards the trucks once more. His shout caused Snart to look away from the blur to see what the commotion was.

Snart grimaced at the sight of the police man and got up to his feet.

Barry stopped by the police man and turned his comm on. "Where's the nearest hospital?" He asked.

"St. Andrews–" Ally spoke easily into the mic, before allowing Caitlin to take over it.

"Seven blocks north, two east." Caitlin easily relayed over the comm.

"Call the ER, tell them they have an incoming GSW." Barry ordered, looking down at the victim before standing up to watch at the four robbers who had just gotten on to and revved the engines of the two motorcycles take off down the street. Barry made his decision and leaned down to pick up the fallen guard in a fireman's hold. He took off, and the remaining guard began to get up onto his feet.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Ally took a step away from the rest of the gang, who were seated now at the cortex desk. She walked over to her tote and the coat she had put with it and began to put her coat back on, as the Star Labs team exchanged a look before Cisco spoke.

"Where are you going?" Cisco asked, curiously.

"To the crime scene," Ally replied easily, before taking off into the hallway.

* * *

**4TH AND COLLINS | |**

"Let's go." Captain Singh commanded, getting out of his vehicle to see that the scene was more than halfway roped off. "I want this locked up all the way to the end of the block." He demanded.

Ally stood up from where she had been kneeling, looking at the camera box, before catching sight of Eddie and easily catching up with him, the duo nodding hello to each other before walking around to the middle of the two trucks.

"Tow truck was stolen." Eddie announced to Joe, who was squatting in the back of the broken-into-truck, "Driver of the armored car is in a stable condition at St. Andrews, and no one's exactly sure how he got there." Ally and the Eddie hopped onto the back of the truck, Eddie using an arm to prop himself up against the truck's door as Joe tapped on his notepad before glancing towards them then back into the truck.

"Did you check the security cameras?" Joe asked.

"Camera's storage drive was stolen." Ally responded. "I couldn't see any remnants of fingerprints." She explained.

"Guys are pros." Eddie declared, his head nodding in confirmation.

Joe took his hand with the bad and placed it on the opposite side of where he had been facing, putting all of his weight on it and using it to stand up. "Everything's still here," He mentioned, before Ally and Eddie stepped down so he could clamber out of the truck. "Including what I think they were after," Joe explained, walking between the pair of blondes, "The Kahndaq dynasty diamond. It was on its way to Central City museum for exhibition." He elaborated, as they passed the back of the tow truck to head towards Singh.

"Right, Iris is trying to talk me into going." Eddie offered, and Joe's face faltered, and Ally flinched at the idea of conflict between them, as Joe began biting the side of his cheek. "I'm not much of a museum guy," Eddie continued and kept walking a few steps, as Ally and Joe slammed to a halt. Eddie halted, and continued, "but when she really wants to do something—" He looked over towards Joe and caught sight of both his partner's cold look and Ally frantically making an x-motion in front of her chest. Eddie nodded, swallowing his new fear before glancing away from the man and announcing, "I'm just going to walk away now."

Ally held in a smile of amusement at the man, before catching a hard look from Joe when she looked up at him. She smiled cheekily up at him, before her attention was captured by Barry entering through the fences over by their captain. Ally turned back to Joe, only to find he had a softer happier expression, of which she was unsure of the cause. She tilted her head to one side at him, getting no response other than a firm shake of the head. So she shrugged it off and the pair began to walk towards the Captain and Barry.

They made it to stand on the other side of Singh at the same time as Barry made it between Joe and Singh.

"Sorry, Captain." Barry explained, as the group began walking towards the middle of the crime scene. "I was at the hospital –" Barry got out and trailed off as he looked over at Ally, catching her look of disbelief, "visiting a friend." He finished, a little too quickly.

Joe took over, not allowing Singh to go off on the perpetually tardy CSI, "There's nothing missing." Joe explained, "It looks like someone interrupted a robbery."

"Guard says there was three of them." Captain Singh pointed out the remaining guard, who was with a couple of the detectives for questioning.

"Actually, there was four." Barry interjected, making the two detectives give him incredulous looks as the corner of Ally's mouth twitched up, in amusement, and she fought the urge to snort at his lack of class in times like these.

"I mean, that's how many I would bring," Barry began, as Joe, Singh and Ally all began to wear the same deadpanned expression, "if I were doing a robbery of this nature." Barry began to backpedal with his mouth, stepping out from between the others and walking backwards before spinning and throwing a hand over his shoulder to gesture at the tow truck, "That's definitely a four guy truck. A driver," He explained, as he set his investigation kit down on the back of the truck, "two more to cover the guards," Barry placed his hands on the back corner of the truck before leaning around it to look down the driver's side.

From behind Barry, Ally's shoulders began to quake slightly, so she took a step to be out of the peripheral vision of Singh and clasped a hand over her mouth.

"And somebody used liquid nitrogen to crack open this door," Barry pointed up at the doorway, before walking back to the other three and finishing, "so four bad guys." He held the same number of fingers up.

Ally was giving him a glare while she covered her mouth with one hand to keep any giggles in, Joe had his typical look of utter disbelief, and Singh, had a half sneer as he began to speak.

"Thank you, Mr. Allen, for your brilliant insight." He looked back at the intended CSI, before looking over to Joe and Ally, who had removed her hands from her mouth just in time.

Barry watched the detective go, his brows furrowing as the man left, he didn't understand why that was wrong.

"For somebody so fast," Joe was cut off as Ally interrupted.

"You're a little slow on the improvising." Ally snickered out, and Barry gave them an offended look, his eyes playfully narrowing in the direction of his best friend.

"Did you see anything that could help us catch these guys?" Joe asked, after silencing the younger woman's snickers with a hard look.

Barry looked around them, as to make sure no one could hear him, before he leaned in closer to Joe and Ally to explain, "Yeah, one of them lost his mask. I saw his face." Barry stated.

Joe grinned at him before turning and walking towards his vehicle as Ally and Barry fell into step easily behind him.

As the partners walked, Ally turned to Barry to give him a 'thumbs up' and received an easy grin in return from him.

* * *

**CCPD | |**

Ally walked to the side of Barry, as Joe walked on the other side of Barry.

Joe had handed Barry a binder of pictures just before they turned the corner. "So look through these mug shots of Central City's most wanted," Joe took in a slight inhale, as Barry began to rapidly flip the pages, his hands moving faster than Joe could see, Ally could see the exact position of Barry's hands but doing so made her head pound. "And see if you can find our guy." Joe finished as the flurry of pictures came to a halt, Barry's finger pointing at one picture in particular.

"That's him." Barry declared, as Ally placed a hand on his shoulder and positioned herself so she could see it, and Joe peered over his shoulder at the man in question.

"Damn." Joe breathed out in disbelief.

"Too bad you couldn't do that whenever we had to study for exams," Ally mused, making Barry look down at her.

Barry grinned at Ally's wistful expression for a moment before he turned the other way and passed the book towards Joe.

"Leonard Snart." Joe threw his head back in a nod of recognition.

"Leonard?" Barry repeated, "That's almost as bad as Bartholomew." He claimed before turning to shoot a glare at Ally as she gleefully snorted and snickered at his full name.

"You brought it up," She reminded him, her hands flying up in front of her in defense. "Besides, Allen's better than Snart," Ally remarked, making Barry drop his glare in order to replace it with a grin.

"She's right, Snart ain't sexy, either." Joe agreed, and Barry agreed with a tilt of his head, as Ally nodded. "Snart's father was a cop—" Joe mentioned, looking down at the entry before Barry and Ally looked to him for clarification, "a bad cop. Took his anger out on his kids," Joe explained before closing the book as they began to come closer to the doorway to the CCPD lobby. "Until he went to prison."

"Snart's dad's in prison too?" Barry asked as they passed into the lobby, "We should start a club." He joked, as Ally spoke at the same time.

"You could start a club!" She snickered making Joe give both of them slight shakes of his head.

"He shows up, like, every six months." Joe explained. "He cases a job for weeks before he makes his move. Then, he does the job Gets away." He finished.

"That's before Air and The Streak were around." Barry claimed, making Ally's step falter slightly for a second before she caught up and returned to an easy stride.

Joe stopped and turned to Barry as he walked, all three now slowing their pace so Joe could lower his voice and ask "Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?"

"I referred to The Streak, which I'm pretty sure I can top." Barry's voice also went lower as he, Joe and Ally crossed the middle of the lobby headed towards the entrance wall.

"He's been cooking up a new name." Ally told Joe at his incredulous look. She watched as a familiar form came out of the elevator just as Barry spoke.

"What do you think about The Fla—" Barry was cut off as Iris turned to them, a drink carrier with three cups in hand.

"Coffee break." Iris announced, holding the tray in one hand as Ally grinned and Barry and Joe turned around in surprise. Iris approached them slowly, "Thought I would bring Central City's finest java over to Central City's finest." She mentioned, and Barry immediately grabbed a white cup off of the tray as Iris continued, "And a white hot chocolate for Ally." Iris grinned at the girl before handing her the brown cup.

"You're my favorite 'Ris!" Ally claimed, and began to lift the cup up but was stopped by Joe's voice's cold tone.

"Thanks, I'm off caffeine." Joe claimed before he turned away from his daughter, Ally and Barry both looked at him incredulously and Joe reached up and put a hand on both of their upper arms in turn before he retreated to his office.

Ally and Barry watched him go, before turning midway to share a grimace before giving Iris identical sympathetic looks.

"My dad's been mad at me ever since I told him about me and Eddie." Iris explained, shrugging slightly, the last coffee in hand as she turned and walked with her two best friends.

"No, you mean he's mad at you because you didn't tell him." Barry explained, while Ally nodded and took her cup back up to her lips to smell the contents. Barry took a sip of his drink for himself, and looked away as Ally took in a sip of her beverage and let out the small moan, at the taste, that Barry knew drove him crazy.

Iris hid a smile from Barry as she smiled warmly at her friend. Barry had admitted that little detail to her once before and she made sure to take full advantage of it.

Ally blinked softly before she shrugged and took a second sip as Barry's shoulders tensed before relaxing.

"Uh, first, that sounds like you're taking his side," Iris claimed before pointing at Barry and then at Ally, "and second, do you know how he does this whole, _"I'm not talking to you, but I have a whole bag_ _full of judgmental looks I'm gonna try out on you later."_ " Iris asked as the three began to climb up the stairs toward Barry and Ally's lab.

"Yeah, I've been on the receiving end of those a few times." Barry mentioned, looking out over the lobby as he remembered them. Iris's gaze shifted to Ally as the girl spoke.

"Ditto." Ally shuddered at the memory, she had gotten out of it the one time if only by appealing to Joe about the whole parkour adventure.

"Speaking of communications, or lack thereof," Iris took a Segway, Ally and Barry humming in response, "after all of these journalism classes, I got an idea." Iris announced, as the three stepped up the last stair.

"Huh." Barry grinned happily at Iris, as Ally lifted her cup towards her mouth once more.

"I started a blog." Iris claimed, and Ally and Barry gave her identical looks of surprised.

"All right, what's it about?" Ally asked, now curious.

"Your brownie obsession?" Barry teased, "'Cause, you know, you probably shouldn't broadcast that." He joked, making a face at Iris who watched him exasperatedly.

"No, something important." Iris disagreed, "Something that Central City needs to know about," Barry grinned at Iris's enthusiasm.

Ally began to take another sip of her drink as she and Barry let Iris go a little bit ahead of them.

"The Streaks." Iris finished, making Ally choke on the mouthful of hot chocolate as her eyes bugged.

Barry had frozen in place before he broke out of it to catch sight of the struggling blonde and patted her a couple of times on the back as she leaned over to breathe.

Ally stood up as Iris came back towards both of them to claim, "They're out there, Ally, Barry. Rumor has it, that the woman, White, after popping up in Starling City this past July, has been around for almost three months in Central City. And she took down a whole mob crime ring last night," Iris explained, making the corners of Ally's mouth visibly turn up, and Barry's too as he thought about the woman in question, "and he stopped an armed car robbery earlier." Iris added, talking about the red streak, Barry and Ally exhaled softly in fake disbelief as Iris continued, her hopeful gaze landing on Ally "I was hoping that I could take a look at the file from the car robbery, and—"

"Not gonna happen missy." Ally shook her head before crossing her arms in front of her, making Iris's expectant gaze land on Barry.

"What?" Barry sputtered, "I'm— we're not at liberty to discuss an ongoing police investigation with you." Barry received a slight nod from Ally before the pair looked back at Iris.

Iris had a shocked look before she turned to follow them "Since when, Blabbermouths?" Iris questioned the pair.

"Take it from us," Ally began, before Barry cut in,

"We've been investigating the impossible since we were 11," he added,

"And 10." Ally interjected.

"Blogging about this is only gonna bring the crazies to your front door." Barry finished, as he and Ally reached the end of the stretch of hallway and stopped in the corner to glance at iris.

"My blog is anonymous." Iris pointed out, and the three friends began walking towards the lab door.

"All right, well, anonymous or not, it's not safe." Barry scolded, his hand gesturing out towards Iris, who was smiling, "You never know what kind of weirdos are out there trolling on the internet." Barry added, as they approached his and Ally's lab's entrance.

"I can vouch for that." A familiar voice rang out, making Ally smile and rush into the room to hug it's owner, who grunted before adding to her previous statement, "The internet is full of weirdos and nerd rage, Lots and lots of nerd rage." Felicity shared a grin with Ally walking forwards slightly as Barry took in some air as he and Iris came closer.

Barry gave Felicity a huge grin.

Felicity suddenly realized what she forgot, she shook her head and held her hand out to the woman standing next to Barry, "Hi. Felicity Smoak."

Iris grasped the new woman's hand firmly and shook it, "Iris West." She introduced.

Barry was smiling goofily as Ally watched him carefully studying his reaction to the Starling City resident, "Barry Allen." Barry introduced, making Ally dissolve into a fit of laughter, Felicity and Iris look to him in amusement. "But you guys already knew that." Barry closed his eyes, shaking it off as Ally's laughter came to a stop.

"Déjà vu," Ally murmured, thinking back to the first time she met Barry, as Barry gave her a sheepish look, "Felicity is—" Ally began to introduce before Iris cut her off.

"The girl that you met in Starling City," Iris glanced between Ally and Barry, noticing the man's goofy smile, "the computerer, right?" Iris asked turning to the woman in question, who nodded, "You three worked on one of Barry's unexplainable cases."

"Which," Felicity pointed in the direction of Iris, "long story short, was definitely explainable." She gestured between the two CSI's, who nodded with small smiles on the shared experience, before Felicity stepped backwards and pivoted, "So the lightning came through here?" She asked, pointing up to the window on the ceiling.

Iris watched Barry with a small smile, as she watched him gesture up at the ceiling in shock.

"Yeah." Barry stammered, in response to Felicity.

Ally had mixed emotions, as she knew Barry had an obvious crush on the other blonde, as soon as they met her in Starling City. But Barry deserved to be happy and Ally would rather be his best friend than be forced to lose him from her life altogether. Plus Felicity was awesome and she and the rest of team arrow had been a tremendous resource for Ally when she first began her hero crusade.

**(A/N: To clarify— Felicity, Roy, Oliver and Diggle know who Air is, she consulted them when she designed her costume and trained/debuted with them the past July before coming to Central as White/Air. They also know that Ally is keeping her alter ego from Barry.)**

"Ally?" Josh spoke from just on the other side of the doorway, poking his head partially in to the woman's lab.

The occupants of the lab all looked at him curiously for a moment before Ally spoke,

"Hey Josh," she greeted, a soft smile on her face, she and Josh had become close friends recently.

Iris watched Ally's body language before she switched to scrutinizing the possible suitor of her friend as Ally walked towards him.

Josh locked shocked for a moment by Iris and the stranger's appearance, but he easily threw it off, "can I talk to you?" he asked softly, making Barry glare at him and Felicity notice Barry's action with a thin smile.

Ally nodded before turning to Barry and Felicity, "I'll catch up with you guys later," Ally offered, before she allowed Josh to lead her towards his own lab.

* * *

**SNART'S HIDEOUT | |**

The hideout was dark, and was basically an abandoned warehouse, full of pipes, tables and a few fog lights. Snart was standing behind one of the rolling carts with his hands resting on it.

"There's been some rumors the last few weeks." One of the cyclists, the hotheaded one, walked past the two other members of the crew claimed, "People seen white and red blurs tearing through the sky and the streets." He approached Snart who was looking at the laptop in front of him with the security footage they stole on it, "What the hell is it, man?" He demanded of the whole team.

"Maybe they were drones." One of the other members threw out, while Snart stared at the picture on the screen, showing the man in red with yellow lightning behind him at the failed robbery attempt. "Some top secret army thing." The other crew member offered.

Snart narrowed his eyes at the laptop before he stood up, "When I was a kid, my grandfather used to take my sister and me to this diner, the motorcar. Food was for crap, but the view was great, right across from the Central City precinct. I still go there. I listen to their radios. I learn their response times." Snart drawled, as his crew looked amongst themselves. "There are 40 banks in Central City, each of them within 60 seconds of police response." Snart's words made two of his men straighten up, now understanding. "That's the advantage of hitting a moving target. Once the armored car called 911, we had 182 seconds before any cop could be on the scene. No one could have gotten there fast enough to stop us. But something did," Snart announced, and turned his cold glare onto the hotheaded cyclist, "and you lost your cool. You know the rules." He shook his head slightly at the man in trouble, before returning to meeting the cyclist's eyes. "We don't shoot guards or cops unless it's the only option. We don't need the heat."

"The heat?" The cyclist questioned, his beard glowing yellow from the limited light source. He paced towards his boss before snarling, "What the hell do you think the red blur is, Snart?" He waited for a response, but there was none, "Right. Screw this. Screw you. I'm out." He claimed, practically spitting in his now ex-bosses face before turning around and heading to leave.

Snart didn't let the man get further than a half step away, instead sending a bullet into the man's head, the man falling to the ground immediately after it rang out. Snart sighed before he spoke, the gun in hand as he lowered it from pointing straight at the ceiling to the surface he was leaning on, "Well, if you're out, you're out." He aimed the gun closer to the direction of the other crew and spoke more, leaning closer to the table to stare at the computer. "This blur is a man. We're gonna have to up our game." He claimed.

* * *

**CCPD – BALLISTICS LAB | |**

Ally walked through the door that Josh had held open for her and headed for the desk in the middle of the room. She put her hands on it and used them to push herself up onto the table to sit on it.

Josh closed the door softly behind them before he walked towards her, "Alright Ally, so I want to talk to you about two things," He began, before he pulled his chair out from his desk and rolled it towards the table she was perched on and took a seat in it.

"Alright," Ally drawled, "What's up?" she asked, before she let out a small yawn.

"I wanted to know why you don't get enough sleep, and why your arms are always covered in bruises," Josh spoke rapidly, the words flowing out as Ally's eyes widened for a moment before relaxing.

"I've gotten back into my aikido lessons, and the sensei has us sparring each other," Ally offered as an excuse, it was easier to lie to somebody who was, well wasn't Barry Allen.

Josh gave her a terse nod, he didn't believe that for one second, but she had to have a reason for lying, so he would leave it for now. He shook it off and spoke gently, "Ally I was, well," his cheeks colored, "I was wondering if," He trailed off.

Ally blinked at him, her head tilting to one side.

Josh swallowed before he asked, "You'd go to Jitters with me on break?" He offered.

"I'd be happy to." Ally agreed, if Barry was going to be out with Felicity, what was the harm in going out with Josh for their break.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY PARK | |**

It was great weather and many of the citizens had come to the park, a couple was laying on the ground with a guitar, a couple of guys were kicking around a soccer ball, some people were walking their dogs. Included in the park-goers were Felicity and Barry, who were strolling through the park.

"Iris seems very nice." Felicity was telling Barry, "And really pretty. Like, super pretty." She claimed, making Barry turn to face her, "Congratulations."

It took Barry a second to realize her implication, "Well, Iris isn't my girlfriend." Barry told the woman, "She's just a friend who actually has a boyfriend."

"And Ally?" Felicity asked softly,

"She's into Josh as far as I know." Barry replied, a hint of sadness in his tone.

"Oh, that's… Interesting," Felicity claimed, before she turned to look at Barry who was staring at her in shock, "I guess." Felicity smiled as Barry looked away to process.

"What are you really doing here?" Barry turned to look at the woman and asked, "I mean, it's good to see you, but do you and Oliver need something, or—" he prodded, before Felicity interrupted, and he turned to face her.

"No, no, I came because I wanted to see you." Felicity explained, turning to face him, "I— I heard you were out of the coma. Didn't call, didn't write, didn't fly or race over with A— Air," She trailed off, watching the wheels turning in the speedster's head.

Barry opened and closed his mouth twice as he looked around, before he addressed the blonde, "Oliver told you? And how do you know Air?" He asked.

"A—Air came to train with us this past July and we've kept in contact with her," Felicity explained and Barry nodded, storing the information in his head. "And honestly, I heard you and Oliver talking on that rooftop in Starling City that night." Felicity raised her eyebrows at the man as she explained, before she leaned in to add, "I want to see it."

Barry's eyes held confusion in the unintended innuendo as he searched Felicity's smiling face for an answer.

Felicity blinked, realizing her mistake, her mouth whirred into action, "And by 'it'," She began, "I mean your speed, in case you thought I was talking about something else, which I—" She stumbled over the words as Barry let out a small noise of amusement, "which I was not." Felicity finished.

"Okay." Barry chuckled, before looking around the park's surrounding buildings, "Ah," he looked once more, before he pointed up at one of the apartment buildings, "Okay, you see that building?" He asked, as Felicity looked to it's top.

"Uh-huh." Felicity answered, before turning to look at Barry.

"Keep your eyes on it." Barry demanded. He smiled as Felicity did just that. He took off, his speed just barely not making Felicity's hair blow back.

Felicity stared at the building as the streak of lightning ran to the top of the tower and then ran around the top platform, before heading back whooping, "Whoo-hoo!"

Suddenly Barry appeared to Felicity where he had left from, a phone in his hand held out to her.

"Whoa. You took a picture of me?" Felicity asked, having grabbed the phone from Barry, "From the top of that building?" She breathed out, as she and Barry both glanced up at it.

"Yeah." Barry confirmed, before pointing at the picture as Felicity zoomed in, "Don't instagram that."

"Unbelievable." Felicity breathed out, before she looked down and saw smoke and embers rising from his shoes, "Your shoes are smoking!" She yelped, pointing down at them.

Barry immediately began to hop around, stamping his feet against the ground. "That," Barry began, "That's fine. It's it happens sometimes." He explained, as Felicity looked at him shocked, "It's why I have a friction-proof suit." Barry explained.

Felicity's o-shaped mouth turned into a smile, "Where did you get that?" she asked, amazed.

"I'll show you." Barry offered, grinning at her expression before offering her his hand and leading her towards the park exit.

* * *

**JITTERS | |**

Meanwhile, Josh and Ally had just entered the coffee shop, and had joined the counter's line.

"Ally!" Iris greeted happily, once the woman and Josh had reached the front of her line. "And Josh, right?" Iris asked, looking up at the man towering over both her and Ally. She reached her hand over the counter to shake his hand.

"And it's Iris West?" Josh shook her hand, before he continued, "Ally's told me some about you, and you're detective West's daughter, right?" Josh looked towards Ally, who nodded in confirmation, before he met Iris's smiling eyes once more.

"Yeah," Iris agreed, before she switched to barista mode, "Alright, what can I get for you guys?" She asked.

"I'll take a turkey wrap and an iced green tea." Ally ordered, and stepped aside to allow Josh to give him, as she fished in her tote bag for her wallet.

"I'll have the B.L.T. and a tall mocha." Josh ordered, as he used his body to block Ally from the counter, instead holding out a twenty dollar bill to Iris, who smiled at him as Ally tried to push past his arm.

"Oi! This was going to be my treat!" Ally argued, as she and Josh headed towards an empty table.

"Well, it's my treat. Maybe next time you can pay, pipsqueak," Josh teased, reaching out a hand to pat Ally on the head.

The woman in question glared at him, before she relaxed as Iris came over with their order. "That was fast," Ally remarked as Iris put down their drinks and food.

"Well, I would say it's the usual," Iris began before she glanced at Ally who was mouthing 'it's not' to Josh. "Al." Iris warned, and Ally used her hand to mime zipping her lips. "Anyways, Jitters has a trivia night tonight," Iris handed Ally and Josh each a flyer, "I managed to get Eddie to agree to come, and it could be our night to win!"

Ally's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Iris.

"I love trivia!" Josh exclaimed, and Ally grinned at the look of pure joy on his face.

"Winner gets 75 dollars' worth of cappuccinos?" Ally looked down and read from the brochure, before she looked up at Iris. "Alright, I'm in." Ally agreed.

"Yes!" Josh exclaimed, before he stood up. "I'm gonna go ahead and use the restroom." He told Ally, before he left the table.

Iris immediately sat down in the vacant seat as he disappeared from their line of sight. "Why didn't you tell me more about him," Iris demanded.

"Uh, because…" Ally trailed off.

"He's the reason you've been so tired recently, isn't he!" Iris suddenly connected the dots in her mind.

"No!" Ally immediately disagreed, before she ran through any alternate scenarios in her mind, having Iris think she was dating someone would be a better excuse than the truth, ' _hey, you know that hero that I told you doesn't exist, well that's me, surprise!'_ but she'd rather tell the truth."Josh is just a friend, Iris," Ally explained, "And— changing the topic," Ally claimed before she glared at her friend. "Why are you trying to make this a double date thing?" Ally asked.

"Josh obviously likes you, and he's exactly the right guy for you!" Iris argued, glaring at Ally as if to challenge her to disagree. "He's super attractive and smart and funny," Iris continued. "And you totally deserve someone like that." Iris claimed.

Ally's mind had drifted to Barry, and she blushed, which Iris took as Ally liked Josh.

"Come with him tonight." Iris demanded, and got up from the chair as Josh came back.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

"And this is where my team monitors the police bands for criminal activity." Barry told Felicity as he passed through the doorway to the cortex, "We can track anything that's happening in the city." Barry claimed, turning to gesture out with his hands as he walked backwards into the lab, "Check this out." He turned and gestured to the console as Cisco and Caitlin stood up on the other side of the room. "We've got our own satellite." Barry pointed at the monitors.

"I know." Felicity murmured, spinning around to take it all in, "I've hacked into it from time to time." She spoke, turning to look over her shoulder at Barry.

"Rude." Cisco scolded, taking his lollipop out of his mouth only long enough to get that statement out.

"It is, of course, so wonderful to see you again, Felicity." Caitlin greeted, walking around the cortex desk to approach the woman, whom Barry stood next to with his hand rested on the cortex desk and grinned at, "I'm just wondering how much of our operation," Caitlin gestured around the cortex as Cisco watched, "She needs to know about." Caitlin finished, wringing her hands together.

"I'm really good at keeping secrets." Felicity replied, nodding as she smiled.

"Yeah," Barry pointed at her, "Felicity works with The Arrow." He announced.

Felicity turned to glare at him, as Caitlin's face fell into surprise.

"Sweet." Cisco exhaled.

"And you apparently are not." Felicity told Barry, angrily gesturing with her hands.

"Now it's all making sense. You know who The Arrow is." Cisco came around the desk, using his lollipop to point at Felicity as he came next to Caitlin, "Wait, do you know who The Arrow is?" Cisco asked Barry, as Felicity's lips pursued.

"Uh…" Barry murmured, before he shook his head as Felicity turned to glare at him,

"Let's just say that my team has a similar set up, but with," Felicity explained, "More pointy objects."

"Welcome, Ms. Smoak." Harrison greeted, as he stood on the other side of the cortex doorway.

"Dr. Wells?" Felicity asked, a look of awe coming over her face as Barry grinned, "The Dr. Wells?" she asked, making a couple light chuckles emit from Harrison.

"Please," Wells began, "call me Harrison, Felicity."

Felicity's eyes widened in shock, "Oh, you know who I am?" She asked, as Barry looked down remembering his own first encounter.

"Ranked second in the national informative technology competition at age 19," Harrison rolled towards the cortex as he listed off her accomplishments, "graduated M.I.T. with masters degree in cyber security and computer sciences." Barry nodded to himself as the grin on Felicity's features grew wider, "I know who you are. I keep an eye out for promising talent in scientific fields. It's what brought me Cisco, Caitlin, and I foresaw," Harrison took his glasses off, coming to a stop inside the cortex, "great things from you." He confirmed, as Barry's mouth opened in slight surprise.

"Speaking of great things," He began, turning and catching attention of Felicity, "want to see something cool?" he asked, using his head to motion to the cosmic treadmill.

* * *

"How fast can he run?" Felicity asked on the viewer side of the treadmill room, inside which Barry was going at full speed.

"He hasn't reached his top speed yet," Harrison claimed, "theoretically speaking."

"How fast can Ally fly?" Felicity added, making all three scientists look at her in shock, "She came and trained with Ol— the Arrow mid-July before she headed back here to become White, and now Air." Felicity explained, wincing at her almost slip of information.

"She still has more abilities to be discovered and she hasn't hit her top speed quite yet," Harrison offered, before he added, "Theoretically speaking, again."

"So is he really okay?" Felicity asked of the Meta, her hand on the side of the window as she watched Barry run.

"His heart rate is within normal range for him," Caitlin offered, before she rested her chin on her clasped hands.

"No, I mean, the lightning bolt changed him, and Ally," Felicity clarified, "Do any of you really know how much?" She asked, staring at the man present.

"We know a fair amount." Cisco offered.

"If everything about him is sped up, is he going to age faster?" Felicity began, turning to face the members of Star Labs, "What are the possibilities of Ally's Abilities?" she asked, her tone panicked as she continued stepping towards and along the front of the desk as she talked, "What would happen if she flew too fast or if he ran too fast? I mean, would she just become air and disappear and would he just be running, and then, poof, he's dust in a red costume?" Felicity asked, growing worried.

Cisco and Caitlin looked to their Boss, as he was more than likely the best to answer the questions.

"Everything we do here at Star Labs is to protect Barry Allen and Ally Roberts," Harrison claimed, his arms folded in front of him, "Trust us, Felicity, they are in very good hands here."

"Want to see how fast I can run backwards?" Barry shouted from inside the room, making all of them turn to watch him as he attempted to do so and was flung off the treadmill into a pile of boxes. Caitlin and Felicity winced as he tripped.

Cisco was still staring with surprise, while Harrison had a blank face at the mishap. Felicity turned to look at Caitlin in shock.

"Don't worry." Caitlin stated, "He heals quickly too."

From inside the treadmill room Barry groaned, drawing everyone's attention before he coughed and spoke, "Air and Ally both don't hear about this, ever." He ordered, making the other four exchange looks of amusement.

Cisco mouthed, ' _so telling her,_ ' to Harrison, who chuckled.

* * *

**STREET –CENTRAL CITY MUSEUM | |**

Eddie and Joe were in an unmarked police SUV staking out the Central City Museum. The museum had a very modern design, all columns and glass, and at the top of the building there was sign reading 'Kahndaq Dynasty Diamond Exhibit' hanging from the top of the building.

"Eh, I don't get it." Eddie was telling Joe, as he looked towards the museum, "Why would Snart come here?" he asked.

"Snart's been deterred before," Joe began, looking away from the museum to glance at his partner, who was watching Joe as he looked around the front of the car, "but once he goes after something, he doesn't stop until he gets it, ever." Joe claimed, turning back to look out his window.

Eddie took in a soft breath, realizing Joe was trying to ignore him and began to confront him, "Joe," he began, "I want you to know that I'm really serious about Iris." As soon as Eddie mentioned Joe's daughter's name, Joe's face drew hard as he watched Eddie's face in the rearview mirror, "She's an amazing woman, and I can really see myself—" Eddie was cut off by an enthusiastically smiling Joe.

"I ever tell you about that wild night I had my last day of college?" Joe asked, smiling toothily at his partner who easily smiled back.

"I don't think so." Eddie answered, smiling in anticipation.

"No?" Joe asked, as if he was surprised, "Not even after we kicked back a few beers after work?"

Eddie's smile faded as he replied in a confused tone, "We've never done that."

"Oh, right." Joe murmured noncommittally, "That's the things I do with my friends, and since we've never done those things," Joe claimed, before he turned to look at Eddie coldly, "we ain't friends." That statement alone made Eddie swallow and look away, "So there's actually no reason I need to know about your dating life." Joe finished, turning to watch the pedestrians outside.

"I just don't want," Eddie hesitated before he continued, "my personal relationship with your daughter to affect our" He paused, "working relationship."

"It ain't about you, Eddie. It's about her." Joe told the man, "So as long as we don't talk about you and her, we will be cool." Joe looked out the window as Eddie opened his mouth to reply.

Eddie raised and lowered his eyebrows before he reached for the dash, "Maybe we should just listen to the radio." He spoke, turning the knob for just that.

Immediately a crooner's voice came on, " _When a man loves a woman,"_ making Eddie wince before he reached out and changed the station, " _let's get it on_ " were the next lyrics that blared out, making Joe turn to glare at the speakers, causing Eddie to hurriedly reach out and flick it off.

"Quiet is good." Eddie muttered, as Joe nodded.

* * *

**JITTERS | |**

"Thank you." Felicity told Barry, as he held the door open for them to Jitters.

"Yeah." Barry replied, smiling at the woman, as they entered the coffee shop. Barry caught sight of Iris and lifted his head up in a nod.

"Hey, you two." Iris greeted.

"Hey." Felicity answered.

"We're not a two." Barry reprimanded Iris.

"Oh, no." Felicity agreed, "We are a one," She pointed at Barry, "and one." She pointed at herself before nodding.

Iris nodded, before she looked between them, "Has Barry been showing you some of the sights in Central City?" She asked.

"Yeah," Felicity answered, before she spared a glance and smile at Barry, as Iris watched with interest, "I have seen some pretty amazing things."

"Really?" Iris grinned, before she turned to lead them further into the shop, "Well, if you've got some time, maybe we can show you some of Central City's night life." She offered.

"Oh, no." Felicity shook her head as they followed Iris, "I get plenty of night life in Starling City."

"Oh, this is something that I don't think that you're gonna want to miss." Iris claimed, reaching into a holder at one of the tables' for a flyer, "Trivia night at Jitters." She held it out to Barry, who took it, "Eddie's not really excited about it, I admit. Ally and Josh are though," She mentioned, and Barry's smile flickered to a frown for a moment, "and it could be our night, guys!" Iris exclaimed.

"Our night to win $75 worth of cappuccinos." Barry deadpanned, reading off of the flyer, which was soon taken by Felicity.

"Uh, yum." Felicity exclaimed, as Iris turned around for a moment, Felicity handed the cardstock back, "You know what," She told Barry, "I'm gonna go call work, check in, make sure everything's okay." She looked to Iris as the other woman turned back around, "I'll be back in a second."

After Felicity left, Barry addressed his friend, who was walking towards the counter, "Why are you doing this?" He asked.

"Doing what?" Iris answered, obliviously.

"The trivia night with you and Eddie, Ally and Josh, forcing this whole triple date thing." Barry asked, going to the counter as Iris went to clear one of the tables.

"Because Josh is so into Ally, even if she won't admit it," Iris spoke, before she pointed in the direction Felicity had gone as she walked behind the counter to face Barry, "and that girl is great, and she and Josh happen to come from you and Ally's very rare species of adorable nerds." Iris finished, coming to stop at the counter, "Why didn't you tell me more about her?" Iris asked, leaning onto it to face Barry.

"There's nothing to tell." Barry shrugged, holding his hands out in the air, making Iris look at him expectantly, "She's just a friend." Barry insisted.

"Barry," Iris reprimanded "Girls don't just hop on trains and travel hundreds of miles to see someone that they don't like." She argued, making Barry release a small grin at the suggestion. "See, this is why you need my help." Iris claimed, before ordering, "Bring her tonight. We'll have fun."

Barry nodded slowly, before looking down at the counter, "Yeah, fun." Barry muttered, before he offered his friend a smile.

* * *

**SNART'S HIDEOUT | |**

"You wanted state of the art, Snart," the man spoke, his voice almost like that of a rat, "I bring you state of the art, my good sir." He claimed, as he followed Snart through the cases of tech he had brought out.

"What's this?" Snart asked, stopping to look in one of the open cases.

"It might not look like much," The dealer pitched as Snart picked the gun like object up from the case, weighing it in his hands, "but never judge a book by its cover, you know?" The dealer continued, "Fires highly concentrated, combustible liquid fuel that ignites on contact with the air."

Snart put the gun down in its case, "I don't need to heat things up." Snart claimed, before he looked to the next case over his shoulder, "I need to slow them down." He announced, moving towards the half open case.

"That's the one, then." The dealer exclaimed, excitedly as Snart opened the case to reveal another gun, "You were drawn right to it. Stolen from Star Labs after the incident," Snart picked the gun up gingerly, testing its weight and aiming it out from his body, as the dealer continued to talk. "And with nothing but a skeleton security crew to guard the tech inside." The dealer gloated, as Snart powered the gun up, a light coming on in the middle of the unit. "Emits some sort of substance. I'm not sure what it is." The dealer claimed, as Snart looked at the gun with interest before he made its motor spin. "Like a white flame, but it's not hot, it's cold." The man claimed.

"Glasses look like they're made of the same tech." Snart replied, "What are they for?" he asked, before he picked them up from the case.

"The glare." The dealer answered, "You'll see." He replied to Snart's skeptical look, pointing at the goggles now resting on Snart's face.

"Who else knows you took this?" Snart asked, staring at the gun.

"Just us." The dealer answered, not aware of what Snart was about to do.

"No," Snart claimed, "Just me." He drawled, smiling to himself "Sorry, pal." Snart turned and pulled the trigger, shooting out a line of white flame from the gun, which hit the dealer in the chest and sent him flying backwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Do not own the Flash.  
> Fun fact: I'm half annoyed that the writer's haven't had Felicity, who has referenced Doctor Who, I think, reference how Malcolm looks like Jack Harkness. Like seriously!
> 
> I wanted to go up till half of the episode, but it's long enough and this was more than half of the dialogue from the episode. I probably won't be able to add the rest of this episode until next weekend, as I have two tests this week – one on Monday and one on Tuesday.
> 
> I did go back and update part of chapter two to include Ally attending Oliver's funeral in 2011 with Chelsea. Not a current plot point.  
> Thanks for Reading!
> 
> Some questions for you all:
> 
> I know I already have a small Halloween snippet somewhere in here, but for the timeline here, it's almost Halloween, and I might try to develop a Halloween mini story to put in here, as for them it is that time of year. So any suggestions as to costumes for any of the following would be super helpful –  
> Joe, Ally, Libby, Chelsea, Barry, Iris, Eddie, Josh, Caitlin, Cisco.  
> (If you have coupled costume ideas for Iris and Eddie let me know! Thanks! )
> 
> I'm also working on a Flash in the Air story based around April Fools Day, so if you guys have any suggestions for pranks to be used please let me know. (I will be including the prank that Barry, Chelsea, Libby and Iris play on Ally, which plays on her nitpickiness, similar to OCD, for one of those.)


	12. Frostbite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting you guys! And special thanks to everyone who has recently followed, favorited or reviewed Walking on Thin Air. I did put up part of an April fools special yesterday on Flash in the Air, so if you haven't read that feel free to check it out later!  
> Fun fact: This is the longest chapter yet, at 11+K words and 40 pages in microsoft word (double spaced).  
> Hope you guys enjoy!

**HOTEL | October 28th, 2014 |**

"Felicity," Ally groaned at the other woman, she had elected to go to the hotel to take a shower there, so she and Felicity could get ready together. Ally had gotten out of the shower, and found that the clothes she had planned to wear to trivia night were now gone. Ally wrapped one of the tiny hotel towels around her body before she opened the door to find the woman in question.

"Yes, Ally?" Felicity asked innocently.

"Where are my clothes," Ally asked, Felicity gave her an oblivious look, "Fel," Ally half growled, stalking towards Felicity, still holding on to her towel.

"I want you to wear a dress of mine." Felicity let out in one breath, before she grinned at her friend and held the dress up.

Ally inspected the dress and was aghast to find the deep cutouts of it. "I can't wear that Felicity," Ally groaned, "Besides the fact it wouldn't fit, I have these things called bruises if you hadn't noticed," The bruises littered her body.

"And I have a thing called cover up." Felicity shot back, "You're wearing it."

"No." Ally fought.

"Then I might just let your secret slip," Felicity grinned, like a cat who caught the canary.

Ally visibly swallowed, before accepting the dress from Felicity and she turned away from the other blonde and grabbed undergarments and changed into the dress, as Felicity turned away.

"I really don't get why you haven't told Barry that you're Air yet. If he doesn't find out from you, Al." Felicity mused, and. "You should tell him." Felicity suggested.

"I can't. And neither can you." Ally demanded, before she walked and tapped Felicity on the shoulder, "Help with the zipper?"

"Yeah," Felicity easily pulled the tiny zipper up, leaving Ally in a white skater style dress, with cutouts on the girl's natural waist. "You look Smoak-ing hot!" Felicity claimed, smiling to herself at the wordplay.

"That was a terrible pun, Smoak." Ally teased, before she took in Felicity's black dress, "And you look gorgeous." She complimented, before she looked at all of her limb's bruises. "So, Cover-up?" she asked.

Felicity nodded, before she dragged the woman back into the bathroom.

* * *

 **JITTERS |** **October 28th, 2014 |**

"Party people, who's ready to get their trivia on?" The MC drawled out, and waited for the applause from the players to stop before he walked towards the table Iris, Barry, and Eddy were seated at, with three empty chairs, and five cups of coffee and one white hot chocolate. "Okay, everybody, welcome. We've got some new challengers." The MC announced, before he gestured to Iris and co., "Please, welcome e=mc Hammer."

Barry grinned at the name, before some of the customers on the sidelines and middle of the room gave both high-fives. He laughed before turning to Eddy and Iris to explain.

"No, you see, I did it because E=mc squared is Einstein's formula for kinetic energy, right?" Barry stated, "And, you know, can't touch this." Barry finished, doing a small dance in his seat.

"That's great, Barry." Eddie gave Barry a half smile, as Iris grinned at him, before she turned to Barry.

"So where are Felicity, and Ally and Josh?" Iris questioned.

"I'm not sure." Barry replied, before he noticed Iris and Eddy beginning to stare in the direction of the door. "I told them it started at—" He had turned and when he caught sight of what, or who had come in to Jitter's, his jaw practically hit the floor.

Felicity and Ally walked in, side-by-side in front of Josh, who held the door open for them. Ally was wearing a short white dress, she had her white tote bag as usual, and Felicity had forced her into a pair of heels. Felicity, had on a little black dress and heels, but Barry's gaze was alternating between staring at Ally, and glaring at Josh, who had put a hand on her shoulder.

"Feel free to buy yourself either of those dresses." Eddie stage-whispered to Iris,

"I totally overdressed us for trivia night." Felicity laughed out nervously, as she came to the seat on the end of the table between Barry and Iris.

"Yeah, you did." Ally hissed at her, as she took the seat on the other side of Barry, who immediately averted his gaze to Felicity, while Josh took the last remaining seat opposite Felicity.

"No, you both look amazing." Iris disagreed, looking to Felicity and Ally in turn,

"Yeah, you do." Barry agreed, glancing between the two girls.

"And I'm assuming it was you that forced Ally into heels, so congratulations on doing the impossible." Iris joked to Felicity, earning a laugh from Barry and Josh and a glare from Ally in the process.

Josh and Barry also got a glare from Ally, and quickly shut up.

"E=mc hammer." Ally and Josh caught sight of the sign, as Felicity read it out loud. "That's funny." Felicity chuckled, as Ally broke into snickers.

"That is gold." Josh complimented, before he stretched his hand out for a high-five, that Barry had half a mind to refuse, but he high-fived the man.

"I love it." Ally stated after her snickering came to a stop.

"See?" Barry pointed around the four of them, as Iris and Eddy shared an amused glance, before they let out a small chuckle.

"Is this what I think it is?" Ally questioned, noticing the familiar cup in front of her.

"Yes, it is," Iris claimed, making the blonde grin greedily at the cup, as Barry and Eddie laughed at her reaction.

"What is it?" Josh asked, now curious.

"White hot chocolate. Her favorite." Barry immediately answered, without a thought, making Ally glance at him. Barry moved his gaze quickly to Felicity, his ears growing warm.

Felicity grinned at him knowingly.

"It's awesome." Ally spoke, before she lifted the cup to her lips and took a sip from it. She let out a tiny moan at the taste, which made Felicity and Iris giggle, Barry's ears feel like they were on fire, Eddie to raise his eyebrows at Iris, who shook her head at him and Josh's mouth to almost fall open for the second time that night, the first being when he picked her and Felicity up from the hotel. "What did I do?" Ally questioned.

"Nothing." Iris immediately smiled at her, waving off their odd reactions, with practiced ease.

"Okay…" Ally agreed, eyeing them suspiciously, before she shrugged and took a second sip of the drink.

Josh and Barry both watched her out of the corner of their eyes with tense shoulders, which relaxed as soon as she put the cup back on the table with no similar occurrence.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY MUSEUM | |**

A tour group followed the tour guide through the museum entrance, and up the marble steps.

"It wasn't until 1852," The guide was telling them, "when the transcontinental railroad laid their tracks through this thriving cattle town, that we became officially incorporated. That same year, the worst flood this area's ever seen hit. But from that disaster rose Central City's greatest hero," as they got off of the stairs, the woman gestured to the photo display, and announced proudly, "cattle rancher Bobby "Bovine" McFeely." She smiled to herself, "Bovine McFeely saved 17 cows from the great flood."

One of her tour group, a young boy looked at the display from just behind her, he hadn't wanted to come, and sighed to himself.

"Hey, kid." A voice spoke from behind him, making the boy turn to the man, "Gum?" the man offered a wrapped stick to the kid, who took a piece from him, before smiling at the man.

The boy didn't know who the man was, he did not know that was Leonard Snart.

Snart threw a piece of gum into his own mouth, chewing on it as he stuck the partially empty pack back into his pocket.

"And now, for the exhibit I'm sure you've all come here to see," The tour guide announced, leading them over to the glass case, "the historic Kahndaq dynasty diamond. Be careful." She told Snart and the boy, who had stopped roughly a foot away from its pedestal, "Get too close and you'll set off the proximity alarms."

"Wouldn't want to do that." Snart joked to the boy under his breath, getting the kid to smile at him.

Snart followed the group as they left the exhibit, as the museum's owner, Dexter Miles, recognized the face, and used his phone to dial a number, before ringing it and holding his phone to his ear.

* * *

**JITTERS | |**

Barry, Josh, Ally and Felicity huddled over the tablet as Iris and Eddie watched them curiously,

"Three is Pasteur." Barry pointed at the figure.

"Mm-mm." Felicity disagreed, humming with her fingers resting on her mouth, before she spoke, "Three is Erdel,"

"And four is Pasteur." Ally agreed.

"Right." Barry admitted, bowing his head in defeat, "Five?" he asked.

"Descartes." Ally, Felicity, Barry and Josh all cried at the same time. Barry touched it on their tablet, and locked their answers in, before all four shared grins with one another.

"Are they even speaking English?" Eddie whispered to Iris. She would have answered, but the buzzer went off.

"And the points go to E=mc Hammer." The MC announced, causing the rest of the groups playing to let out a groan.

Barry, Felicity, Josh and Ally all shared high fives between them, laughing, as Eddie and Iris grinned.

"I knew you four would make a good team." Iris claimed, resting both of her elbows on the table, making the four glance away from each other.

Eddie looked at Felicity to ask, "So, Felicity, what do you do?"

"I work in computer sciences - at Queen Consolidated." Felicity answered.

"Cool." Josh complimented.

"Really?" Eddie asked in shock.

Iris glanced at Barry before asking, "Do you have a boyfriend in Starling City?"

"Uhh," Felicity glanced at Barry, before she looked to Iris to clarify, "No, no, there is no one."

"I'll get us some more drinks." Eddie stated, before he left the table to do so.

"I'll come with." Josh offered, following him.

"And I had too many of those first ones, so I will be right back." Felicity claimed, getting out of her chair easily.

Ally watched Josh walk with Eddie to the counter, not realizing that Iris's gaze on her. At the same time, Barry watched Felicity leave with a grin, which grew as the woman glanced back to smile at him from over her shoulder. They both looked at Iris and suddenly noticed that she was staring at them, "What?" Barry and Ally asked in unison.

"Dude." Iris spoke, reaching out to push both of their shoulders.

"Dude?" Barry repeated in shock, as Iris laughed.

"Wha—" Ally started,

"Are you still gonna tell me that she's not into you?" Iris asked Barry, before she threw her head back over her shoulder the way Felicity and Ally had left. "Look at that dress. And when I asked her the boyfriend question, she froze." Iris smirked at Barry and Ally.

"Yeah, you were particularly sly with that one." Ally drawled, snickering throughout and catching Iris's attention.

"And you're lying when you say you aren't into Josh, Al." Iris claimed, "And he is so into you, I don't think his eyes left you since you guys got here." Iris teased, making Ally flush slightly, as Barry internally sulked, before he shot a quick glare in Josh's direction.

"Iris—" Ally tried to interject but was ultimately cutoff.

"Josh is gorgeous, smart and funny," Iris started, getting a small nod from Ally before she switched her gaze to Barry, "And Felicity is smart, nice, and pretty." She told Barry, catching his attention and getting a small nod from him as well, which Ally noted with a pang of pain in her chest that was not from a bruise.

"And most importantly, they are the first people that I have seen either of you two with that really understand and appreciate you for the amazing people I am always telling both of you that you are." Iris claimed, glancing between her two best friends. "They're perfect for both of you," Iris declared, before she looked Barry in the eyes, "So what are you waiting for, Barry," She switched to Ally, "Ally."

Barry was watching Ally, thinking to himself that he was waiting for her, or for Air. His lips moved as he tried to think of how he could even answer the question. He liked both women that he worked with, and he wanted to prove Air wrong about what a kiss would mean.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Cisco was staring at the empty cell of the lock boxes, he didn't understand.

"How long has it been missing?" Harrison demanded, his chair on the precipice of the room.

"I don't know." Cisco replied shakily.

"I'm gonna ask you again, Cisco." Harrison told his employee, before he reached around to scratch his side, "But when I do, I expect a more specific answer than "I don't know." He emphasized, before he repeated himself forcefully, rolling his chair into the room, "now, how long has this weapon been gone?" he stopped beside Cisco and the open door.

"A day, maybe two." Cisco started, wringing his fingers together as Caitlin watched him nervously. Cisco sensing Harrison's growing impatience, as the doctor reached for the door to the cage, added, "One of the janitors didn't show up for work this morning. He was probably the one who took it." Harrison used his thumb to play with the door's handle. "I didn't think that—" Cisco was by the crash of the door as Harrison slammed the door shut angrily.

Caitlin closed her eyes and reopened them as Cisco gulped.

Harrison repeated, a growl present in his low voice, "You didn't think," He took in a breath through his teeth, "because if you had, you would have discussed with me first your desire to build something that could, in theory, hurt anyone, and in particular," Harrison's voice had grown steadily louder, before he shouted, "Barry Allen."

Caitlin glanced at Cisco nervously as her co-worker took in a difficult breath before stating, "I'm sorry. If you just let me explain—" He offered, the shaking of his voice still evident.

"You know how I feel about weapons, Cisco." Harrison claimed, "They do not belong in Star Labs. Now," He addressed, "you are gonna figure out a way to locate this gun," he looked at the empty cell, before he fixed his glare on Cisco to demand, "and you are gonna do it right now." He half hissed, before he wheeled himself out of the room silently, gritting his teeth together.

Cisco watched him go, his eyes growing wet as he watched his mentor leave the room.

Caitlin looked at her friend with wary eyes, before she asked, "This thing you built, what can it do?"

"Bad stuff." Cisco replied, as Harrison's chair left their line of sight.

* * *

**MUESEUM | |**

"You said to call if there was anything suspicious." The museum owner asked Detective West hurriedly, walking with him down one of the back corridors. "This guy went through the tour twice. Nobody does that." He announced, showing the detective a printout of the security camera view.

Joe looked out into the museum lobby, and spotted Snart, who caught his eyes before he turned on his heel and headed for the exit. Joe reached for his radio and spoke into it, "This is Detective West. I have a visual on Leonard Snart at the museum." He spoked, before he turned and headed for the exit, passing the owner as he ran for the stairs, "Requesting immediate back up." He finished, as he drew his gun and held it by his knee as he ran.

* * *

**JITTERS | |**

The incorrect buzzer went off, showing an incorrect slide for 'E=MC Hammer!' The whole crowd cried out in protest, annoyed at the wrong answer for something that every geek ever knew.

"I'm sorry." Eddy apologized, sighing to himself, "I thought I knew it, and I got excited, and I," Felicity let out a giggle as Ally snickered, Josh chuckled, and Iris put a hand on Eddie's back. "I just hit it." Eddie finished.

"Its fine Eddie," Ally consoled the disappointed detective, grinning at him cheerfully.

Barry removed his hands from in front of his face, "Maybe they'll get it wrong too." He shrugged at Eddie.

"Oh, yeah." Josh teased, before Felicity took over.

"I am sure that the team named Pride and Padawans doesn't know the name to Han Solo's ship." She agreed, sarcasm evident in her voice, looking over to the group who had come to trivia in full on Star Wars cosplay.

The group in question celebrated as the bell rang for the correct answer, the entire shop applauding them for their victory.

Eddie sighed to himself in frustration.

"Oh, honey, you are so cute when you're confused." Iris claimed, making Eddie chuckle as she pulled his face to hers to press a kiss to his mouth as the others watched awkwardly.

After they leaned away from each other, Eddie's phone beeped, and he grabbed for it, reading the message before announcing, "Someone spotted Snart." He pulled out from the table, as Iris looked to him, "I gotta go," Eddie pulled on his jacket.

Ally and Felicity shared a look before sharing one with Barry, who got out of his chair, gathering his stuff.

"I gotta go to the bathroom." Ally announced, hopping out of her chair, grabbing her tote and heading in that direction.

"I'll hold your stuff," Josh offered, and insisted on following her towards the back of the café.

Barry started to stalk towards the exit.

"I'll cover for you." Felicity ordered, as she followed Barry towards the doors.

"All right, what are you gonna say?" Barry asked, out of curiosity, as he pushed through the doors and turned back to face her.

"I usually tell people Oliver's at a night club with a girl or nursing a hangover." Felicity offered, Barry shaking his head at the choices.

"None of which will work for me." Barry reminded her.

"Bad stomach ache, really bad diarrhea." Felicity threw out.

"Yeah, I'm not comfortable with that excuse." Barry told her, shaking his head a second time.

"Just go." Felicity ordered, and Barry took off before she could say anything else to him, his take off sending her hair blowing back, "Stay safe." She called after him, before she winced, "And I'm talking to air now," She told herself, before she added, "Like air the object, not the hero." She grimaced, "And I'm still doing it." She angrily reminded herself, as she turned and reentered the café.

* * *

"Josh, I can't explain this to you now, but I'm going to go in there and I probably won't come back," Ally began to say, making Josh blink at her.

"What?" He half-squawked.

"I'll tell you later, but I've got to go." Ally shortened her phrasing, before she pushed into the employee locker room.

Josh slowly walked outside and gasped as he noticed the white form of the female vigilante taking off from the roof. It fell into place the more he thought about it, the weird high jump the one day, all of the bruises, even the little-to-no sleep she got, it all fell into place. _Ally was the white vigilante,_ he told himself, shaking his head in disbelief.

Josh went back to their table to tell Iris that Ally felt sick, and that he was taking her home. He left through the back exit, and went home, assuming that he would see Ally later.

* * *

**STREET | |**

Snart had marched out of the museum and into the street, with Detective West in pursuit on the other side of the street. Snart was pushing people out of his way as Joe ran around the people walking in his direction. Snart looked back as a taxi squealed, and he used his hands to propel himself onto the hood and then onto the sidewalk.

Joe entered the crosswalk, using his hands to ask cars to stop, they braked but beeped angrily at him as he ran to the other side of the road.

Snart had come to stand on the other side, and looked back behind him as Joe ran around a tree and snarled out,

"Snart!" Joe leveled his gun at the criminal, who looked up as he caught the sound of sirens wailing.

Snart smiled to himself, as he saw the car whip onto the street he was on. He pulled his goggles over his eyes and shot a stream of ice out to the street, which had enough water on it that it immediately slicked over with a sheet of ice.

The police car skidded on the ice, as the civilians around yelled and screamed. It was headed straight for Joe, who narrowly launched himself out of the way just in time.

Snart grinned to himself as Joe watched, before he walked toward the theater, sending the people by the entrance away screaming.

Joe shook off the shock from the near collision and got to his feet, running for the theater entrance.

* * *

**THEATER | |**

As Joe ran through the theater, the sight of the gun in his hands sending many of its occupants running for the exit, or settling for getting out of his way. He ran up the stairs, then into the lobby, running and weaving around the columns as he searched for Snart. Joe came to a stop, not spotting his target, and sighed. He was alerted to Snart's presence on the landing behind him by the whir of the cold gun.

Time slowed down, as Joe watched the civilians run from Snart, and the gun pointed at him emitted a white flame.

It sped up, as Barry raced in, managing to push Joe out of the way just in time, but causing himself to get hit by the beam in the stomach. Both Joe and Barry were blown back by the force, and landed behind the columns with a thud as Air flew in above Snart, urging the civilians to get out wordlessly.

Snart smirked at the sight of the fallen detective and speedster, not noticing that the woman in white had appeared.

Joe looked up at Barry, who was grunting and groaning in pain, "You okay?" He asked.

"Ahh, aah," Barry groaned, "it burns." The ice had frozen over a hand sized part of his costume, and it was crackling as he breathed.

Barry peered around the column, as Snart sent out a beam into it, making Barry take off into the theater. Air landed across from him, helping to transport trapped citizens out, but Barry shook his head at her as if to tell her to stay hidden.

Snart sneered as he looked up, and his gaze caught the red metahuman in his sight. "Time for a test run. Let's see how fast you are." Snart announced, before he swiveled and pointed his gun at a pair of civilians, and fired.

The beam hit nothing as Barry moved the citizens out of the way.

Snart took it in stride and pointed his gun at a woman and her daughter in the middle of the stairs and fired, making Barry run behind him to whisk them away as well.

Snart aimed at a couple on the steps near him, which Barry got to just in time, before he gasped for air, landing by a column as Air flew over Snart and into the theater, landing and running towards the security guard inside.

Snart and Barry both spotted the Air and the security guard in the theater, the latter was walking towards Snart, his gun drawn out. As Air flew towards him facing away from Snart.

Snart whipped around and fired towards the woman in white, who was unaware she was being targeted, before he aimed his gun at the man and pulled the trigger a second time.

Barry chased after the bolt of white light, heading for his partner who turned slowly back to the sound of the gun's charge. Barry watched as Air moved as if to catch both blasts as a sacrifice, and Barry charged beside the beam, and was barely able to knock Air over enough that the beam struck her whole arm instead of the center of her chest. Barry watched in slow motion as she grunted at the pain before the sheer force of it flung her back into the seats, before he charged towards the guard. He was gaining on the second beam, but—

But it was too late for the guard, and the white flames struck the man, sending him flying backwards, ice quickly forming over his body.

Barry shouted, "No!" in anguish as he skidded to a stop, staring down at the man's frozen body.

Snart smirked, he had already taken care of one of the two menaces in his city. And he knew the second's weakness now. Snart turned away, he'd let the scarlet speedster mourn, but Snart had no plans to take it easy on his remaining opponent.

Barry let out one last "No," at the sight of the man before he moved to Air's still body. Her right arm was encased in frost, and Barry noted that her chest was not rising and falling. "No." Barry cried. He shook his head, _Caitlin could fix this, couldn't she?_ Barry scooped Air's limp form into his arms, and took off, trying not to think about the fact that she could very well be dead.

* * *

"How is she?" Caitlin's voice came over the comm.

Barry glanced down at his limp partner as he ran, before he stumbled slightly as he noticed that some of the ice on her arm had begun to melt away, and her chest was slightly rising and falling.

"She's going to be okay." Barry gasped, as he noticed her breathing return to normal, and her eyelids begin to flutter.

 _Thank god._ Barry thought, a tear slipping out of his eyes, as he ran through the streets, his heart pounding a little easier.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

As soon as Barry had gotten to Star Labs, he set Air down. By that time, the ice had melted off of her arm completely.

Caitlin had let her rest by Felicity while she checked Barry's wound out.

Barry was sitting on a stretcher with the bottom of his shirt lifted away from his wound, and a green light trained on the dark spot that showed him exactly where he had been hit by the cold gun. Barry touched the spot, and observed, "It's still numb." He winced at the soreness around it, before he rolled his shoulders back to stretch.

"It's presenting itself like third degree frostbite." Caitlin explained, before she circled around the back of Barry's stretcher.

"I thought he had hyper healing." Felicity asked, looking up from the tablet in her hands to look between Air and Caitlin.

"He does." Air's modulated voice came out.

"It's just been slowed." Caitlin added, as she walked towards the monitor showing the scan, "If your cells weren't regenerating at the rate they are," She stopped to angle it to Barry, as he put his shirt down. "Your blood vessels would have frozen solid and the nerve damage would have been permanent. You're lucky to be alive." Caitlin announced, before she gestured for Air to replace Flash on the bed.

Barry got up, moving to grab his jacket as he watched Air move to sit down on the bed.

"Snart wasn't another meta-human." Air was telling Caitlin, who looked to Barry.

"He has some kind of gun." Barry added, "It froze things, slowed me down," he took in a breath, his eyes betraying his tumultuous emotions, "Enough that I almost wasn't able to save Air, and so wasn't in time to save someone else." He announced, getting a noise of protest from his partner, who spoke up.

"I would have been fine." Air told Barry, enunciating each word harshly as she glared at him from underneath her tinted goggles. "I don't need you to 'save' me." She added before Caitlin prodded her shoulder, drawing her attention and preventing her from saying anything that would hurt Barry more.

Caitlin rolled Air's sleeve up, and She and Ally were surprised by the fact that all of the former's bruises had disappeared. Not because of Felicity's concealer but because of something else. Caitlin turned on the scanner, allowing it to tell her what she already expected.

"According to his record, Snart didn't even bother to finish high school, so how did he build a handheld high tech snow machine?" Felicity pointed out, having looked the information up on her tablet, as she walked towards Harrison, who was playing with something in his hands.

Harrison looked up, "Star Labs built the cold gun." He announced, bumping what was in his hands together.

Barry's eyes narrowed at his mentor, before Cisco's voice drew his attention.

"Dr. Wells and Caitlin had nothing to do with this." Cisco revealed, "I built the gun." He nodded, making Air look to him in shock.

"You did?" Barry asked, shifting his jacket to his one hand, before demanding, "Why?" He had begun to walk towards Cisco, as the others winced, but stayed quiet.

"Because speed and cold are opposites." Cisco explained, holding his hands out in front of him, "Temperature is measured by how quickly the atoms of something are oscillating." Cisco continued, watching Barry's reaction nervously. "The faster they are, the hotter it is," Barry shut his eyes, before opening them, his hands shifting to his hips. "And when then are cold, they're slower on the atomic level. When there's no movement at all, it's called," Cisco was cut off by Barry.

"Absolute zero." He shook his head, as he stared at Cisco.

"Yeah." Cisco confirmed, "I designed a compact cryo-engine to achieve absolute zero." He took in a breath, glancing to Caitlin, who winced, her eyes sympathetic, "I built it to stop you." Cisco stated, before he saw the betrayal in Barry's eyes as the other man looked away, "I didn't know who you were then, Barry." Cisco tried to amend, as Barry shook his head in disbelief, "I mean, what if you turned out to be some psycho, like Mardon or Nimbus?" Cisco asked, as Barry looked around the room.

"But I didn't." Barry shouted. "Did I?" He asked, before he added, "and neither did she." He gestured back to Air, failing to notice her back going rigid and her head turning to glare at him, as he glared at Cisco.

"We built the entire structure you're standing in to do good," Caitlin began, walking towards Barry as Air rolled her sleeve back down behind her, "and it blew up." Barry sighed, "In the wake of that, you can understand why Cisco would want to be prepared for the worst." She added.

"I can understand that," Barry admitted softly, "but what I can't understand is why you didn't tell me what you did." He told Cisco, "I mean, after all we've been through, I thought you trusted me. I thought we were friends." Barry explained, the hurt cutting into his voice, as he gestured out.

"We are, Barry." Cisco spoke, trying to come closer to Barry, who immediately cut into him.

"I mean, if you would have just told me," Barry stated, "I could have been prepared. But instead, someone died tonight." He added, making Cisco's breath catch.

Cisco looked up to Barry, before glancing down, "And I have to live with that." Cisco accepted.

"No, Cisco." Barry spoke, shaking his head at his 'friend', "We all do." He finished, before he gave a mournful look at Air, who glared at him, and headed towards the treadmill room.

The rest of the occupants of the cortex watched him leave.

* * *

**WEST RESIDENCE | |**

Iris was sitting on the couch watching the news, which announced, "Theatergoers remain shaken after surviving tonight's brutal and bizarre attack in a downtown theater."

In the middle of it, Joe opened the door, making Iris glance back at him, before clicking the news off.

"The news," Iris spoked, turning around to look at her dad and ask, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Joe answered, dropping his keys in their key dish,

Iris rolled her eyes as she watched him, before she questioned, "How long is this gonna go on?" as Joe hung up his jacket and entered the room. "Seems like the cold treatment is going around." She claimed, as Joe took his bag off of his shoulders.

"Not now, Iris, please." Joe stated, walking on his sore legs to the other side of their kitchen/dining table, and placed his bag down on top of the table.

"Yes, now." Iris demanded, "You did the same thing when I tried to sign up for the police academy without telling you." She reminded Joe, as he began to unpack his bag, "You didn't speak to me for weeks, not until I withdrew my application." She got annoyed with the lack of response, and pushed off of the couch, walking into the kitchen, "Well, I am not withdrawing this time, dad. I am dating Eddie whether you like it or not." She claimed, coming to stop just inside of their dining room, a mere two feet away from her dad.

Joe sighed, before he stated, "Eddie's my partner."

"I know." Iris claimed, watching her dad's eyes.

"But you don't." Joe told her, shaking his head, "You're not a cop. You don't know what having a partner means."

Iris gave him a reproachful look and he continued, "Wherever I go, he goes, and where I go isn't always safe, Iris." Joe explained, before he took in a breath, and pinched his fingers together in front of his face, "I need to be 100% focused." He emphasized, letting his hand lower, "Now, there's a part of me that isn't focused, that doesn't see Eddie as my partner, but as your boyfriend." He told Iris, who rolled her head around, playing with the information as Joe watched her. "So if he gets hurt," Joe paused, "or worse, and I'm there, how am I gonna look at you?" He asked, making Iris look to the ground. "How you gonna look at me?"

Iris looked back up at him softly, "Now, I'm not mad at you, but that's why this is so hard for me." Joe explained, his hand shaking as he raised it in between them to point to her, before he took in a long breath, "Do you understand?" He asked.

Iris gave him a tiny smile, before she nodded in confirmation.

* * *

**WAREHOUSE | |**

"We're going back tonight." Snart was telling his men, who flanked him as all three walked within their hideout.

"Back where?" the one behind him on the left asked.

"To the museum." Snart claimed, turning his head over his shoulder to look at the man, "That diamond isn't going to steal itself." He explained, looking back forwards.

"Super gun freeze your brain, Snart?" His other grunt asked, before adding, "The museum's gonna be crawling with police by now, and The Streaks."

"This can stop The Streaks." Snart claimed, holding the gun up in the air, "It practically killed the Woman in White, and it hurt her partner, the one in red," Snart explained, "and I know his real weakness. So we go," His men looked at each other, before they both drew out their guns. "Unless you want out." Snart added, starting to glance over his shoulder to them.

"We both want out—" This first man claimed, cocking his gun before holding it up to the back of Snart's head. He looked to his cohort, before clarifying, "Alive."

Snart blew out a bit of air, before he started, "So you thought ahead and made a plan. Least I taught you something." He claimed, before asking, "So what are you waiting for? Shoot me."

The man with the gun in his hands looked to his partner, who shrugged.

"You better put a bullet in my brain right now," Snart added, before he glanced over his shoulder at the man holding the gun, "because if you don't, if I ever see either one of you again," he warned.

"You don't get it, do you?" One of the men snarled, "These blurs are out there, and Central City ain't your playground anymore." He added, before both he, and his cohort backed away from Snart, the one still holding his gun in the direction of Snart, before they ran, realizing that Snart hadn't moved.

Snart ignored the sounds of their feet hitting pavement, electing to caress the barrel of his gun instead, "Sure, it is." He told himself, before he continued to walk further into his hideout.

* * *

**STAR LABS – CORTEX | |**

"It's just cold, not numb," Air, or Ally, was telling Caitlin, as she pressed on a couple different points in her arm.

Caitlin had insisted on running a couple more tests after Barry had left. "The scan shows that your tissues are completely normal," Caitlin was saying, as she tilted the monitor to Ally who blinked at it.

"And all of the bruises on my right arm are gone." Ally added, making Felicity's mouth fall open as she came forward to stare at the woman's arm.

"There were bruises there earlier." Felicity explained, "Big ones too," She mused, "That's impossible, unless you have—" Felicity wasn't able to finish her sentence, as Harrison interrupted her.

"It must have been your powers fighting off the cold," He explained, "And since your powers are highly molecular, it established a healing factor," Harrison claimed, taking his glasses off as he gazed at the astonished hero.

"Better not test its limits." Ally mused out loud, looking on the back of her arm to find that a small cut, which she received from one of her opponents the night before, was gone.

"I'm going to go check on Barry," Felicity announced, before she looked to Ally, "want to come?" Ally shook her head, and Felicity moved towards the other room, "I'll be back," she spoke.

* * *

**STAR LABS – TREADMILL | |**

Felicity eyed the monitor besides the treadmill, it was calculating Barry's speed, which fluctuated between 250 and 280 mph. She watched him as he ran full pelt, generating electricity around his body as he went. "Barry" Felicity tried calling as she walked out from the viewing room into the actual area before shouting, "Barry."

He slowed down, coming to a stop as he jogged at a normal speed for a second. Barry took in gulps of air, as Felicity walked around to face him and he hunched over, placing his hands on his knees. "What? What are you doing?" He questioned, still out of breath. "You should go back to your hotel. Get some sleep." He tried to command, not meeting her eyes.

"You should too." Felicity stated, before she quickly amended it, "Not go back to my hotel," She stammered, and Barry took in one huge breath, "I meant get some sleep."

Barry moved off of the treadmill, before he sat down beside it, as Felicity watched him, "I can't." Barry explained, clasping his hands in front of him, "Every time I close my eyes, I see her getting hit," Barry glanced into the window, catching sight of Air's hood, "I see that man's face." Barry shook his head, and Felicity's eyes softened, "I thought that _she_ was _dead_ , and I watched him die." He admitted, breathing out harshly, before he started to stand up, "I have to go faster." He claimed, climbing back onto the treadmill to Felicity's dismay.

"Barry," Felicity began, after watching him for a second, "it's not your fault." She held a hand out, making Barry huff, "And it's not Air's either, even if she blames herself for it too," Felicity added, making Barry huff once more, "And it's not Cisco's, either." She explained, before pleading, "Barry, I know you're upset, but you have to look at this from his point of view." She insisted, her hand pointing into the other room

"No," Barry shook his head, "I get it. He didn't trust me," he claimed.

Felicity sighed, before she climbed up onto the treadmill, "Barry, when you and Ally met us," She began, "Me, Oliver, and Dig," She clarified, "We were this well-oiled archery machine. But it didn't start out that way. And unlike you guys, we weren't tossed together overnight. We came together one at a time." Barry looked to her, "Believe me, it took much more than watching Oliver do the salmon ladder to make me trust him." Felicity claimed, making Barry glance away and back before letting out a huff.

Barry sighed to himself, and Felicity moved off of the treadmill, making him try to catch her attention, but not having enough air to do so. He swallowed, before looking up as Felicity's voice rang out.

"I've seen firsthand what this life can do to people." She claimed, stopping at the door back to the rest of the lab to look back at him, "It's a lonely path. Don't make it any lonelier than it has to be." She declared, before she smiled at him and left.

Barry let her words sink in as a grim expression settled into his face.

* * *

**MUSEUM | |**

The glass shattered, falling forwards into the entrance as the ice blasted through it. A small bit of steam lingered above the shards, as the heavy boot belonging to Snart stepped on top of them, walking towards the staircase.

"Freeze!" a security guard shouted, pointing his gun at Snart from a quarter of the way up the stairs. He was trembling in fright, and both of them knew it.

Snart took another step, before asking, "You want to end up like that door?"

The guard shook his head, before he skirted around Snart, running for the exit.

Snart smirked, before he walked up the stairs and to his prize. He stared at the diamond in its case, before greeting it, "Hi there." He drawled.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Barry had reluctantly came out from the room, and was looking at a map of Central City on a monitor, as Wells and Caitlin eyed him from behind the cortex console, and Felicity and Air stood behind them, fighting with their eyes about whether or not Ally should tell Barry.

Cisco came racing into the room, receiving a side glance from Barry. "I figured out a way to track Captain Cold." He announced, making Barry and Ally sigh.

"You gotta stop naming these guys." Caitlin insisted.

"Barry, listen to him." Harrison ordered, making Barry turn around reluctantly to face Cisco with a huff of breath.

"How?" Barry asked, his arms crossed in front of him.

"The cold gun is powered by an engine control unit," Cisco explained, tablet in hand, "a microcomputer that regulates air-to-fuel ratios" Caitlin pursed her lips, as Harrison ran through the information, as Felicity and Air began to understand, "so the sub-cooled fluid in the chambers don't overflow and—" Cisco was cut off,

"Explode." Felicity and Air spoke together, causing Cisco to turn to look at them.

"Right." Cisco agreed, pointing to them before he began walking around the console, "This ECU was receiving updates wirelessly from my tablet." He explained, coming to stand at the end of the desk besides Air and Felicity, as Caitlin and Harrison shared impressed looks, "If I boost the signal using Central City's network and send a false update," Cisco continued, gesturing to his tablet, "we'll get a ping back," Felicity began to move away from the main desk, as Cisco continued, "and then—" he was cut off again,

"We can locate Snart." Harrison spoke, turning from looking at Ally to look at Barry.

Barry sighed, hands on his hips, before asking Cisco, "How long will it take?"

Cisco put his tablet down, and went to sit down at the nearest computer as he replied, "First I have to hack into the City's network, so I don't know," He looked up to Barry, "30 minutes, maybe?" He shot out before he turned back to his screen.

"I can do it in less than one." Felicity interjected, as Air grinned at her friend, who slid into the chair at a mini desk with a laptop. "When it comes to hacking, I'm the fastest woman alive." She claimed, before she laced her fingers and pushed outwards, cracking her knuckles, "Ow!" She yelped, before she started typing. "That was not as badass as I pictured." She lamented, making Air snort quietly. Only a few seconds passed as the others watched her work before she looked up, "All right, I'm in." She announced, tapping one last key.

"Are you kidding?" Caitlin asked in amazement,

"That's my girl." Air complimented, making the other blonde grin at her.

"All right," Cisco grinned, "I'm sending the updates." He announced as he clicked the button on his keyboard to do so. "We're connected." He announced.

"Network is triangulating the location." Felicity announced, looking at her screen.

"We got him." Caitlin claimed, staring at her screen as it popped up, Air coming up behind her to look at it. "He's heading west on Nelson toward the train station." Caitlin observed, as Harrison glanced over at it as well.

"If he's leaving," Harrison claimed, "it appears Mr. Snart may have gotten what he came for."

Barry moved, flying to change, and back in one loud whoosh.

"When we put our minds to it, dude," Cisco began, tapping at his temple. "Nothing can stop us."

Barry reached up and pushed on his comm, making it click. Air's lips tightened as she watched.

"Oh, you turned your ear piece off." Cisco observed, confused by it, before asking "How are we gonna talk to each other?" He gestured to himself.

"I don't feel like talking right now." Barry announced, making Cisco's grin vanish, he made to leave, but Air blocked the door and he came to a stop inches away from her face.

"Mine's on," Air claimed, glaring up at Barry. Barry had been, admittedly, staring at her lips, before he looked to her goggles as she claimed, "I'm coming too."

"Fine." Barry gritted his teeth, "Stay out of trouble this time," He added pushing past her and taking off.

"Stay out of trouble, my ass," Air's voice grumbled as she scrunched up her nose, making Harrison let out a chuckle and the others laugh. Ally saluted them before she turned around took flight, following the lightning's trail out of the building.

* * *

**STREET | |**

Barry and Ally flew through the streets, one on the ground and the other in air as they raced towards the train station, both pushing their speed.

"All available units, suspect spotted at Central City train station." The police scanner in Joe's car announced, as he and Eddie pulled up to the building's main entrance.

Eddie clambered out of the car, grinning to himself, "We got Snart."

Joe glanced at his partner before he ran in front of Eddie and stopped him with a hand to the chest before ordering, "Wait here for back up."

"Wait for back up?" Eddie repeated, as Joe ran up the stairs, "No way." He added arms falling to his sides, making Joe look back at him as he ran through the entrance to the train station.

"That's an order." Joe shouted back at Eddie.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

"You should go after Barry." Felicity announced, glancing over to Caitlin and Cisco, the former giving her a grim look.

"You heard him, Felicity." Cisco spoke, his tone betraying his disappointment.

Caitlin added, "He wants to do this alone with Air."

"Of course, he said that." Felicity spoke, standing up from her seat, and walking towards them, "He's hurt. You're his team and his friends." She pleaded with them before adding, "If I had a nickel for every time The Arrow told me to back off, I would be as rich as Oliver Queen," She trailed off, before she clarified, "who I mention because he's the richest person I know," They both raised an eyebrow at her, and Felicity amended, "or used to be." She took in a breath, "The point is, you have your partner's back" She looked between the pair, "no matter what." She finished, making Caitlin open and close her mouth as she looked to Cisco, who grinned before announcing,

"I have something that might help." Cisco grinned at them.

* * *

Joe ran down the train's platform, dodging civilians with his gun held to the ground. He spotted Snart, as the criminal raised to fire at him before Joe could get his gun all of the way up.

A shot hit the column near Snart, sending the criminal ducking down and the civilians to scream in panic as Eddie rounded the corner. Eddie looked at Joe, who lowered his gun, and half-snarled out, "I'm your partner, not your assistant." Before he chased after Snart.

Joe followed Eddie, his eyes trained on the younger man.

Snart walked up to the train and boarded it, the train taking him quickly away from the station, as Eddie and Joe reached the yellow line. Snart walked through the empty cabin, gun in hand, as Joe and Eddie felt a breeze pass them, Joe catching sight of a blur of white in the air and a trail of yellow lightning chasing after the train.

Air flew beside the train, as Barry burst through one of the windows and landed in front of Snart, who pointed his gun at the man. Barry glared at Snart, before shouting, "There's nowhere to run."

"I didn't see you before." Snart claimed, before he looked out of the window and smirked as he spotted the woman flying beside the train. "So she survived?" He asked, and Barry nodded his head firmly. Snart smirked again, before asking, "Your mom know you're out past your bedtime?"

Barry smirked right back, "If you wanted to get away you should've taken something faster than a train." He taunted.

"That's if I wanted to get away." Snart revealed. "I've seen your weakness at the armored car, then at the theater. See, while you're busy saving everybody," Snart continued, making Barry look around at the civilians pressed against the other end of the train. "I'll be saving myself." Snart cried out, before he pointed his gun at the middle of the train, freezing over the wheels. Snart turned and pulled open doors on the side of the train as the lights in the cabin went out, causing the other passengers to go into a panic. "Good luck with that." He taunted, Barry, who was struggling to keep his balance as the civilians' grabbed hold of whatever they could. He jumped out of the train, as Barry looked around him.

Snart had knocked Air out of the air, and to the ground with him. He rolled on the gravel, as her head crashed into it. Snart levelled the gun at the fallen girl, and pulled the trigger.

The white stream of ice hit a wall of air, and shot out to the sides, as Air started to get up shakily, her head spinning as she turned her head to glare at the culprit.

Snart, realizing that his gun was not effective against her, took the opportunity while she was still dizzy, to bludgeon her in the hood with his gun's barrel. She slumped back down and Snart grabbed her bicep, lifting her up, and carrying the woman, who struggled against his grip, with him as he walked.

Meanwhile, the train's last cabin, containing Barry, began to fall over. Barry's eyes buzzed with lightning before he pushed off and grabbed passengers, depositing them to the grass before running back and repeating the process until the cabin and the one behind it was empty. He noticed one of the other cabins still had a passenger inside and Barry ran in, smashing through a window and grabbed her, before he ran up and out of the cabin and deposited her near the others. Barry ran underneath two of the cabins as they crashed into each other and the tracks, creating sparks behind Barry as he fell to the grass. Barry started to get back up, but was stopped, as a beam of ice struck his back, sending him to the ground, groaning, "Ahh!" He turned around, the ice having formed into a loop over his stomach, encasing it in a block of ice. His eyes immediately locked on to Air's form, as she feebly struggled to escape Snart's grip on her upper arm.

"Pretty fast, kid, but not fast enough." Snart announced, his gun still trained on Barry. The area around them was filled with debris, some of it on fire. "Thank you." Snart added.

"For what?" Barry asked, as Air's struggling stopped and she looked to Snart in confusion.

"You two forced me to up my game," Snart explained, "not only with this gun, but with how I think about the job. It's been educational." Ally grunted at him, as a whirring sound and a voice made Snart turn to look at their owner's.

"Drop it, and her." Cisco ordered, a lit up end of a gun in his hands, which was connected by a tube to a larger cone shaped object that Felicity and Caitlin carried. They walked towards Snart as Cisco spoke, "This is a prototype cold gun, four times the size, four times the power."

Ally blinked underneath her goggles, the ringing in her head softening.

Barry looked at the object, confused by it.

Snart looked away from Cisco to look at Barry, before speaking, "I was wondering who you were talking to."

"Hey," Cisco reprimanded, making Snart turn back to look at him, "unless you want a taste of your own medicine, I'd back the hell up." He snarled.

"Your hands are shaking." Snart told Cisco, glancing at the man, "You've never killed anyone."

"If he doesn't, I will." Air growled at Cold, who gave her arm a rough shake.

Cisco quickly interjected, "There's a first time for everything, Captain Cold." Snart threw his head back, playing with the name in his head, Cisco, angered by his reaction, moved the gun closer before claiming, "I will shoot you."

Barry let out a breath as Snart glared at him, before he smiled, moving his gun so it pointed into the air instead. "You win, kid." He told Cisco, before he let go of Air, who fell to the ground with a grunt. "I'll see you around." Snart told the two heroes, before he dropped his arm, holding the gun by his knee. He only got a few steps before Cisco called after him,

"Hey," Cisco spoke, turning with gun in hand towards Snart, "leave the diamond."

"Don't push your luck." Snart shot back, not turning back to look at the man as he walked away.

Barry breathed out in relief as the gun whirred off and Caitlin and Felicity dropped the larger end to the ground. "Couldn't shoot him if I wanted to." Cisco admitted, holding up the barrel, as Caitlin walked around him to help Air to her feet. "This is actually the Star Labs vacuum cleaner" Cisco laughed, before emphasizing, as he shook the object, "with a lot of LED's."

Felicity walked to Barry's side and lifted him up by the shoulder, breaking the ice that trapped him, "Let's get you warm."

Barry smiled at her, before he looked at Cisco, who had Caitlin behind him, with Air leaning on the Doctor's shoulders. "Thank you." He told Cisco, reaching his arm out to shake the man's hand as they shared smiles between them.

* * *

**STAR LABS | |**

Caitlin had taken Ally into one of the spare rooms when they got back to check for a concussion. After Caitlin cleared her, and they saw that any bruises she would have gained were missing, Ally put her goggles back on. She and Caitlin made their way into the cortex, where they found Barry and Cisco together, looking over something on the computer, and joined Harrison on the other side of the desk.

"We've been trying to track Snart, but he must have disconnected the signal somehow." Cisco was telling Barry, as the other man stared over his shoulder at the screen.

Barry sighed, glaring at the screen, before claiming, "We'll find him, Cisco, together." Barry smiled, making Cisco smile and nod in relief, before he walked over to join Caitlin, Ally, who was still in her suit, and Doctor Wells.

"You have a great team here, Barry." Felicity spoke, gaining Barry's attention as he looked back to her. "Speaking of teams," She added, "I should probably get back to mine."

Barry nodded, as Caitlin, Air and Cisco came up to the desk as well.

"It was nice meeting you, Ms. Smoak." Harrison claimed, making the woman smile, "Please extend a hello to The Arrow for us."

"I will." Felicity agreed.

"It was great to see you again, Felicity." Air had walked over, and gave the woman a hug. "I'll call you later this week." She added, under her breath. Felicity nodded, and Air stepped back waved, then added, "Gotta fly." Air shared a grin with Barry before she waved to the rest of the team and took off, heading out to go explain to Josh why she had to leave.

Barry let out a small breath, before he walked up to Felicity, "Bye, Felicity." He spoke, smiling at her.

"Bye, Barry." Felicity repeated, before leaning in for a quick hug. They smiled as they pulled away, Felicity turning and leaving, walking out the hallway.

Barry sighed to himself, and Harrison drew his attention, as Caitlin walked around him, "Remarkable young woman." Harrison claimed, "She's special."

Barry nodded, "Yeah, she is." He agreed, smiling before he looked down.

Cisco and Harrison watched as Barry left, before Harrison spoke, "Cisco," making the man turn to look at him, "Don't you," Harrison reached out his hand an grasped Cisco's arm before continuing, "ever do anything like that again. Do you understand me?" He demanded, making Cisco look at him fearfully.

"Yes, sir." Cisco agreed, nodding his head.

Harrison waited a second before he moved his chair and released Cisco's arm and left the room, Cisco watching him in confusion.

* * *

**A/N: Skipping Iris/Joe conversation to cut down on words, it is exactly as it was in the episode.**

* * *

**TRAIN | |**

Felicity was sitting on the train, reading one of the articles that the admin **(Iris)** had written on the blog 'The Streaks Live'. It was titled 'Red & White Streaks Save Train Passengers'. Felicity looked behind her as she heard a loud bang noise from the other end of the train, before the doors on the other end swung open and Barry ran in, coming to sit in the chair across from her. Felicity's head swung around and she yelped as she noticed Barry's sudden appearance.

Barry had begun to reach out to calm her, but found his hand covering his mouth as he chuckled at her.

"Did I just yelp?" Felicity asked, her tablet held to her chest and her other hand by her mouth as she started to laugh.

"Yeah." Barry chuckled, nodding at her.

"I yelped." Felicity repeated, hand coming away from her mouth, as she laughed at herself softly.

"I'm sorry." Barry's chuckles slowed, and he held his hands out to her apologetically. "I didn't mean to scare you." He laughed slightly.

"Don't tell me you're here to save me." Felicity joked, placing her tablet on the seat next to her.

"Taking the train is still one of the safest ways to travel." Barry told her.

"I thought that was airplanes." Felicity asked, her finger pointing at him.

"Mm," Barry shook his head slowly at her, making Felicity let out a small giggle.

"You remember when you told me," Felicity began, her arms coming out to her knees, "you had a little experience liking somebody who didn't see you the same way?" She asked, and Barry nodded slightly in remembrance. "That was Ally, and now Air, right?" She asked.

Barry's eyebrows furrowed, trying to decide how to reply before he questioned, "How did you know?"

"It's the little things." Felicity replied, "The way you linger on them when they aren't looking, the smiles you share, the way you're overprotective of Air, the smile you fake to play the part with Iris, quiet dreams you keep to yourself." She finished, before she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Like you and Oliver." Barry shot back, making Felicity straighten up and place her hands on her knees. "Takes one to know one." He added, smiling at her knowingly. He laughed, before explaining, "Air, she's mysterious, but I don't know her real name," he sighed softly to himself before adding, "And if I told her, it could interfere with us being heroes." Barry sighed, before he continued, "She kissed me once," He laughed at Felicity's wide-eyed look before admitting, "She said it didn't mean anything," Barry's smile fell, and Felicity spoke.

"Then tell her it meant something to you," Felicity tried to suggest, "Ally?" She prodded, Barry sighed softly before starting,

"With Ally, I've tried telling her once before." He admitted, making Felicity tilt her head, Ally had never said anything about it, "She doesn't remember it, and she's convinced that I like Iris," Barry added, sensing the question coming. "And I can't tell her, it would change everything between us."

"It would," Felicity agreed, pausing before claiming, "But maybe that's not such a bad thing." Felicity shrugged, making Barry look to his lap and then to the window. "What is wrong with us?" Felicity asked, drawing his attention, "We are perfectly perfect for each other." She laughed.

"Yet we're sitting here," Barry stated, "pining for people we can't have." Felicity snapped her fingers in front of her, as Barry continued, "I guess what they say is true." He paused for a second, "Opposites do attract." He leaned over his legs, before looking into her eyes and claiming, "If you ever need anything, I will race over in a heartbeat."

"Same." Felicity agreed, leaning over as well before clarifying, "Well, as fast I can run, which might take me a while, but I will still come." She smiled.

Barry smiled at her, before he bit his lip and looked up at her, "Bye, Felicity." He spoke, before he closed the distance between them and stole a kiss. He pulled away, realizing that the kiss didn't quite have the same spark as it did with Ally or Air, but he grinned at Felicity, who smiled back before he disappeared, lightning trailing after him.

Felicity watched in the window as Barry raced after the train before she spoke, "Bye, Barry."

From outside of the train, Barry whopped in glee as he ran, "Whoo-hoo!" He ran all the way to his apartment before he pulled out his phone to send a message to Ally.

'Ally, you alright?' it read.

'I'm fine, going over to Josh's. Talk to you later ' Ally had sent back, making Barry grit his teeth at the thought of her being with, with, well, with somebody who wasn't him.

Barry could not tell his best friend that, so he settled on sending her, 'Have fun.'

* * *

**JOSH'S APARTMENT | |**

Ally looked down at her phone before she slipped it back into her tote as she stood on the balcony belonging to Josh's apartment, she knocked on the glass door. The shades behind it fluttered, revealing Josh's face before he slid the door open.

"Ally?" Josh blinked at the woman, who wore the costume he knew belonged to the vigilante, her hood pulled down, and goggles hanging off of her neck. "Come inside." He ushered her inside, and she followed him easily.

"Sorry it's late." Ally apologized.

"Its fine," Josh shook his head at her as he led her towards his sitting room, offering her a seat, which she took. "So, explain?" He asked.

And that's what Ally did. She told him everything that she had gone through regarding her transformation, and after she had finished she headed out to patrol the city.

Josh watched her take off into the sky, standing on his balcony and grinned as she did a couple loops in the air, before yelling, "Show-off!" Air only grinned before shooting off into the night, leaving Josh to get some much needed rest.

* * *

**KEYSTONE MOTEL | |**

Snart watched as an old friend of his, Mick Rory struck a match, before he started his speech, sticking by the wall, "I know it's been a while since we pulled that job." Snart admitted, "I know it didn't go so well for you, and I know I said we were finished. But things have changed." He looked up at Mick as he continued, "If I want to keep working in Central City, I'm gonna need a new kind of crew." He reached a hand up for the second case he had taken from the dealer, where it sat on the windowsill, "I'm gonna need someone like you." Snart announced, before he pulled the box away from the window, and walked towards the table Mick was sitting at, "You're tolerant of extremes. You have certain skills." He placed the case down on the table, "You just need some direction." Mick lit a second match as Snart unlatched the case, "And I can give that to you." Snart claimed, opening the case to show Mick its contents, the flame gun, which Mick held the match over, looking at the gun. "You still like playing with fire?" Snart asked, and Mick's match went out in a bit of smoke before he lifted the gun out, "You're gonna love this. So," Snart started, as Mick weighed the gun in his hands, "Are you in Mick? Or are you out?" Snart asked, making Mick chuckle.

"Yeah buddy, I'm in." He agreed.

Snart smirked to himself, this was the perfect solution to the woman's, who he would later know as Air, imperviousness to his ice. Fire feeds off of Air, so it made sense for Snart to fetch Mick to use the flame throwing weapon, which, Snart expected, would be highly effective on the Woman in White.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOO!  
> I hope that Air having accelerative healing makes sense. For her, it is still slower than Barry's and it will not be as fast with broken bones, deep cuts, and deep wounds such as gunshots. It, in my head, is kind of a 'healing wind', but Ally does not know how to consciously use it, yet. It does make her immune to the cold gun, which for the purposes of this story is why Snart got Mick, as Fire combusts, or eats, Air.  
> Also, since a lot of the recent reviews mentioned when Barry would find out, my decision on that front is to have Barry know Air's identity by episode 9. I'm not going to tell you all exactly when, just that it will happen before then and I apologize if this decision is disappointing to any of you.  
> I am planning on, once I get far enough with this story and have the time, writing out Barry finding out who Air is in episode 15 as an AU spinoff, and the aftermath of it then.  
> So some other news, unrelated to Walking on Thin Air & Flash in the Air, which I might refer to as the 'Air' universe/series. I am starting to work on a collaboration with Leonis Serviert, which is set in Legends of Tomorrow, with the addition of an OC from each of us. I'll let you all know when we finish enough to post it. Thanks again for reading! Let me know what you guys think. Love y'all!


	13. Romantic Interlude Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry you guys, this might be my only update for a little bit, I've been trying to finalize my plotlines up some more, and I had a big test in physics this past Tuesday. We're in the last week of the year at my College, so wish me luck. And to the last Arrow episode (4.18), I'm still in denial a bit about what happened. Hope you all enjoy this chapter! I did have to split it into two parts just because I haven't been able to finish the second half.
> 
> Fun fact: After watching flash for the past year now, I realized the other week that the actor for Joe West, Jesse St. Martin, was in RENT, which is one of my favorite musicals, ever. And my jaw legit dropped. Like literally everyone in the cast sings.

**CCPD | October 31st, 2014 |**

Central City Police department always had an annual Halloween party. The lobby was decked out in orange and black by the newest members of the police force, and Ally had agreed to help Josh out with some of the food.

Ally had carried in a box of treats that morning and hid them easily in the Lab. The spread included Oreo truffles, made to look like little spiders, as well as a batch of her mother's recipe for cheesecake-brownie-cookie bars.

Barry found her stash easily enough, but Ally had kept them away from him with limited success.

After work, everyone at the police department went home to change and came back, the officer's still on duty wearing their uniforms instead of costumes. Some of the younger female workers were in 'sexy' cop costumes, while the rest of the police force elected to wear more appropriate costumes.

Ally and Josh were standing by the food table, dressed as Tinkerbelle and Harry Potter respectively.

"So," Josh spoke, startling the woman who was watching the doorway for members of the West family. "You like Allen, don't you?" he asked, making her head spin on a swivel to stare at him.

"Shut up," Ally hissed immediately, her cheeks growing warm as she glared up at him.

"You do!" Josh teased gleefully, before he flinched at the woman's icy expression.

"If you say anything." Ally hissed, "I will find you." She threatened, stomping her feet on the ground a little bit.

"You're adorable." Josh laughed lightly to himself, as he leaned towards her and propped an elbow on her shoulder.

"You cannot tell him." Ally moved out from the man's elbow, before she yanked on his arm, pulling him towards the detective offices as Barry Allen walked through the entrance, dressed as Waldo from where's Waldo.

Barry watched them disappear, his eyes softening at the sight of his friend, before hardening into a glare at the back of the man she was dragging, assumedly to go make out or something. He felt a hand land on his shoulder, and turned around to find Eddie was the owner. "Hey, Eddie." Barry greeted, sullenly.

"Barry!" Iris greeted, peering from behind Eddie, she and him wearing Daphne and Fred costumes.

Barry chatted with them, but his mind was slowly drifting towards his partner in his other line of work.

* * *

"I am being one-hundred and ten percent serious, Lovatt!" Ally half growled stalking towards the towering male, making his hands fly up in front of him.

"I won't tell him." Josh agreed, making the girl's face melt to one of relief, "but you should."

"I can't," Ally muttered.

"Why not?" Josh questioned, peering at her as she walked towards the nearest desk and sat on top of it. "I get why not with the whole Air persona, but why not tell him you like him?"

"He likes Iris," Ally stated, looking at Josh with a serious expression.

"You're kidding." Josh dead panned, as he walked towards the desk and propped himself up by it. "You're delusional." He shook his head at her.

"No, he told me he was in love with her once," Ally's breath hitched, before she turned to look at him.

"No way," Josh let out, shaking his head in disbelief. "When?"

"It was a little three years ago," Ally spoke, the event of it had left her holed up in her room for the entire next weekend, only good thing was that Barry never brought it up again. Although he did try to get in to see her according to Libby and Chelsea.

* * *

Barry watched with a tense grin as Ally and Josh emerged from the offices.

Ally caught her friend's eye and smiled, before lifting up her hand to wave at him.

Barry grinned, neither of them noticing that their smiles did not fully reach their eyes. Barry walked towards Ally and Josh, as Iris and Eddie followed suit easily.

"Looking good, Bare." Ally laughed, before she reached up and snickered as she batted at the red puff ball on top of his hat.

* * *

**STREETS | November 2nd, 2014 |**

Air and Barry were in the middle of a fight, after racing down the street heading after the group of criminals they had found trying to rob one of the grocery stores.

Barry sucked in a breath as he watched Air maneuver around a pair of the opposing group before he took off in a spurt of speed and whipped both of the men who were teaming up on her out of the way before Air could blast them out of the way. He ran back and stopped behind her as she noticed her opponents were now gone. "You're welcome." Barry grinned.

"Having fun yet, Red?" Air looked back and smirked at Barry, before reaching around him and shooting a large solid blast of air at the thug that was running straight at him from behind. "Gotta be quicker than that," Air teased, before she took off into the sky, hovering just a little ways in the air.

"Wait up," Barry shouted up at her, making the woman laugh slightly, before she took off making Barry smile before taking off after her.

* * *

After spending more than a third of the night fighting crime, Air and Barry went to the top of Jitters. Dawn was still a couple of hours watched as Air looked up at the stars from the rooftop. He carefully approached the woman.

"I can hear you move you know," Air's deep voice taunted, and Barry's head fell forwards in defeat, before he sped over to plant himself on the other side of her as she turned to face where he had stood before.

"I— I totally knew that." Barry stammered out, and the heroine jumped a tiny bit before she turned around.

"Jeez," Air muttered, as Barry hid fitful chuckles, "Careful with that, you almost gave me a heart attack." Air breathed out.

"Sorry," Barry chuckled, making the woman glower, before he composed himself, "Sorry Air," He reached up and pulled off his cowl before ruffling his hair a little bit. His heart was pounding faster than he thought he could run as he thought about what he was about to do. "I actually wanted to ask you something," Barry began, watching for any expression from the woman.

"Yeah?" Air asked, her eyebrows raising up in confusion, making her goggle's move slightly with them.

"Will you go out with me," Barry spoke quickly.

"What?" Air's mouth fell open as she began to stare vacantly at him.

"I want us to go on a date." Barry got out, as he smiled and approached the woman slowly, "I know you don't like me like that so I—"

"—Alright—" Ally had replied, a shy smile taking over her expression as she internally berated herself.

"—know why you just said N—" Barry trailed off and his eyes widened. "Did you just say yes?" Barry squeaked, pointing between himself and Air.

Air nodded slowly and Barry couldn't resist doing a quick fist pump before he composed himself. Air's face colored before she took a small bound into the Air and hovered there watching her partner carefully.

"The fourth?" Barry asked, and Air made a small humming noise. "I'll meet you at nine by Central City Park?" Barry offered. He got a terse nod from Air who turned before calling over her shoulder,

"I'll bring food," she offered, before she shot into the sky heading for her apartment as Barry celebrated gleefully.

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | |**

' _Why did I do that, why did I freaking do that.'_ Ally lamented to herself, _'what do I do, holy shit what do I do. How could I do this to myself?!'_ Ally swung open her bedroom door, pulling her goggles and hood down as she trudged towards her bed and flopped down onto it with a self-piteous groan. The noise drew the attention of both Chelsea and Libby who had ran into her room, Chelsea inspecting her friend for any wounds.

"What's the matter?" Libby asked anxiously, and got a giant moan into the bed in return from Ally.

"C'mon Al, spill." Chelsea demanded, having been satisfied by the sight of no wounds on her friend. She took a seat on one side of the queen sized bed, as Libby hopped up as well.

Ally let out another loud moan before she mumbled into her pillow, "IdidntmeantobutIkindajustagreedtogoonadatewithoneBarryAllen," She let out, incoherently, before she groaned into her bed once more.

"What?" Libby and Chelsea questioned. They exchanged a glance before they pulled on the woman's arm and forced her to flip over and sit up.

"Repeat what you just said?" Libby prodded

"Iaccidentallysaidyesto—" Ally began, before a hand fell over her mouth courtesy of Chelsea.

"In English," Chelsea reprimanded, and Ally took in a deep breath.

"I might have, accidentally, agreed to a date with Barry Allen," Ally spoke, and flinched as her roommates shrieked.

"Really?! Finally!" Libby jumped up and down on the bed.

"How is this a problem?" Chelsea asked Ally, who was looking at them both in shock.

"I agreed to go with him as Air, and I can't tell him it's me under the hood." Ally groaned.

"You still haven't told him?" Libby questioned, before yelping as Chelsea gave her a sharp elbow to the stomach.

Libby and Chelsea looked behind her to give each other looks before they looked at Ally, who had covered her face in her hands.

"It's gonna be alright, Al." Chelsea amended, beginning to rub her friend's back in consolation.

"Yeah, I've got some wigs and colored contacts from my Halloween costumes and cosplays," Libby offered, hugging her sister to her tightly.

"Alright." Ally agreed, before she let out a loud yawn, and moved towards the back of the bed, her eyes fluttering shut as her head hit the pillow.

"G'night Al." Libby giggled, as her older sister's mouth opened as she breathed and Chelsea dragged her from the room.

* * *

**STAR LABS | November 3rd, 2014 |**

The next afternoon, after work, Ally, dressed as Air, headed to Star Labs to check in with the team. As soon as she passed through the precipice of the door she found herself whisked away by Caitlin and Cisco, leaving Barry and Harrison in the cortex, the former blinking at the actions.

Caitlin shut the door of the small lab, as Cisco sat Air down on the table. Caitlin grabbed a blood pressure cuff and began to secure it onto the woman easily.

"What's going on?" Ally hissed, as the small device began to cut off her circulation.

"Oh, nothing." Caitlin hummed, before she shared a glance with Cisco, Ally following her gaze to find a widening smirk.

"You know, just trying to figure out why you said yes to the resident speedster." Cisco deadpanned, and Ally's eyes lowered into a glower as Cisco continued to tease. "It must be because you lik—" Cisco yelped as the woman got out of Caitlin's grasp and stalked towards him. "I should stop now, shouldn't I?" He questioned, the tone of his voice threating to go higher.

"Yeah," Air insisted, before she smirked at the engineer, "I'd suggest it, especially if you value your action figure collection."

Cisco gasped, his hands flying to his chest, "You wouldn't," He insisted. Air did not answer and Cisco shuddered, before repeating the same sentiment.

"I know you keep a certain galactic smuggler in your snack drawer." Air grinned, and Cisco shrieked, running out of the lab to go hide his figure of Han Solo from the scary lady. He flew through the cortex, making Harrison and Barry share a confused glance, as Caitlin gave Ally and admonished look.

"You won't actually do that right?" Caitlin questioned slowly, and Ally walked back over to the woman.

"No, but he doesn't have to know that." Ally snickered to herself.

"So…" Caitlin began, her hand falling onto the other woman's shoulder. "Explain about the 'date'".

Air groaned, before she admitted everything she had told her roommates to the woman.

* * *

**STAR LABS – CORTEX | |**

Meanwhile, Harrison and Barry blinked out their surprise of Cisco racing out of the other room and through the cortex, before Harrison cleared his throat.

"So," Harrison began, as Barry quelled the shaking of his shoulders at his friend's panicked running.

"Yeah?" Barry questioned.

"About your interactions with our other resident hero," Harrison began,

"I know you don't think it's a good idea—" Barry cut himself off as Harrison shook his head, "You think it's a good idea?" Barry muttered to himself in stupor.

"You should know more about your partner in crime-fighting," Harrison claimed, shaking his head at the young man's look. "You still don't know her real name." Harrison prodded, "But she knows yours."

Barry sighed to himself. "I know, but I understand why now and I won't push her to tell me."

"Mister Allen that is the one mistake you are making." Harrison pulled his glasses off and smiled at the man, who was watching him curiously. Barry began rubbing the dirt off of them before placing them back on his face. "You cannot be with someone who you do not know." Harrison finished, making Barry make a noise of disagreement. "But you will, frankly, be with whomever you chose." Harrison finished as a beaming Caitlin and a faintly blushing Air reentered the room.

Caitlin nudged the woman next to her, who cleared her throat as Cisco returned to the room and Barry fought back a humongous grin. "C'mon Allen, patrolling calls us." Air's voice spoke.

Barry nodded, before he took off into the lab and dressed himself in his suit. "Ready whenever you are, Air" Barry grinned at the woman, who shared one with him before the duo took off into the night, leaving behind their friends at Star Labs who headed for the console, sharing knowing smirks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately this is all I have for now, but the next chapter will be their date, and the after happenings of which. After that is episode 5. I'm sorry I couldn't make this longer, but I've been unable to work on this as much as I've wanted and you guys deserved an update, hope y'all enjoy and let me know what you thought! Thanks again for reading!


	14. Romantic Interlude Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry guys! Exams sucked, and I had to/am retake(ing) physics. That started about two and a half weeks ago. On the good news side I'm in a research position and just started that recently. I also got to see to see my older sister graduate from her college a while back and I'm officially done with my freshman year of college! Woo!
> 
> I will try to work on this story as much as I can over the summer, but any reviews, or comments will definitely help me keep going. Updates will hopefully be weekly, but please forgive me if I cannot fulfill that.
> 
> Fun fact(s): I binge-watched Supergirl recently, and I truly adore Melissa Benoist. Though I do dislike cliffhangers but what can I do. Also the Flash episode Rupture almost broke my heart at the end. And the finale was super awesome in case you haven't seen it yet.

**HICKORY TAVERN | November 4** **th** **, 2014 | (A/N: restaurant name – chain in Charlotte, NC)**

Barry slowly blinked in surprise as he stared at his date for the evening. One for the fact that she was in her full attire as Air, a second one for the fact that they were in a crowded sit down restaurant, a third for the fact that everybody else there was staring the hero in confusion **,** and the fourth and final reason – that the woman being stared at was daring anybody to look at her funny again with just her tinted goggles.

Barry blanched, before turning to the woman, "What about takeout instead?" he asked, but the woman in white shook her head 'no' firmly. She wasn't going to allow any silliness to change how this date was supposed to go. Air took a seat in one of the booths instead, Barry sliding in on the opposite side.

A waitress came and took their order, before returning promptly with their food, it was so fast, that Barry found himself in surprise, before he watched as the woman opposite him laughed softly at his expression.

"Wha?" Barry questioned, before he shoved a fry in his mouth.

"Nothing, you just remind me of a friend of mine." Air replied, her head tilting slightly before she reached out and stole one of the fries from his basket, before biting into it triumphantly.

Barry snorted, before explaining, "And now you remind me of my best friend since childhood," Barry laughed, thinking of Ally's similar play so long ago. Barry grinned at the woman, as she tilted her head, before he used his super speed to deftly steal one of her fries, before eating it.

They exchanged bites of food in this manner until one of the times Barry reached out for her food, he found himself gripped on both shoulders and being shaken awake to the sound of a familiar voice calling out his name.

* * *

**BARRY ALLEN'S APARTMENT | November 4** **th** **, 2014 | 8:35 am**

Ally had been sent by Joe that morning to fetch her habitually late partner, only to find him mumbling things in his sleep.

Ally smiled to herself, it was so much easier to watch him sleep now, knowing that if she wanted to she could wake him up, as opposed to him being in a coma. Ally shook her head, ridding her mind of the memories of his prone form.

Those times were some of the worst in her life, right next to when her parents died – and the fact that their graves were empty as their bodies had seemingly been destroyed by the explosion. And next to whenever she and Barry had fought, when he ignored her for a summer (which Ally had, admittedly left unaddressed to this day), and then there was the party three years ago, when –

Ally shook her head again, reminding herself why she was in Barry's apartment. After doing so, Ally called Barry's name out a couple times, before she realized that wasn't cutting it. Instead, she leaned over the sleeping speedster and gripped his forearms before shaking him lightly.

Barry shot up, and in doing so he banged into his partner's head with more force than either of them were expecting.

Ally recoiled and fell backwards with a yelp as she slipped on one of the article prints that Barry had scattered around his floor.

Barry barely registered the noise before he had already sped out of his bed and caught her before she could hit the ground. "Al?" Barry questioned, groggily rubbing at his forehead.

"Yup," Ally confirmed, as Barry subconsciously tightened his grip on her, "Your head is as hard as ever." She snickered to herself, and Barry's mouth fell open in shock at her words.

"Hey!" Barry yelped, "You're one to talk, Roberts." Barry grinned to himself, "Especially considering the fact that I'm the one who just caught you." Barry smirked, before letting her slip slightly in his arms before catching her easily.

Ally shifted out of his grasp and onto her feet slowly, before sticking her tongue out at him.

"Oh, real mature." Barry teased, and Ally's eyes flashed mischievously down his form before she shot back,

"Says the man in the SpongeBob SquarePants Boxers." Ally laughed as Barry blushed before speeding around and out of the room to change into actual work clothes. "I like them, Bare." Ally laughed, as he skidded to a stop in front of her.

Barry smiled at his friend, before he reached out and fixed a small lock of her hair that had come out of her loose bun. Barry grinned grimly to himself, reminding himself that she was now further off limits, seeing as she was, seemingly, dating Josh.

Barry shook his head, laughing to himself, before reminding the blonde, "Of course you do." He smiled, "You're the one that got them for me." Barry stuck his tongue out at her.

"Seeing as you've reminded me about maturity," Ally snickered, before grinning up at her best friend, "How about we skip to a piece of that, the whole being punctual part." She gestured with her hands while watching, with mirth, as Barry's smiling eyes turned to those of fear.

"Singh's gonna kill me— us," Barry groaned, before he realized, "It's 8:50, which means that we still have 10 minutes till work starts." He grinned looking to his friend, who had turned to glance at his bedside clock.

Barry smirked, before he took off, whisking his best friend and her tote bag into his arms before hurtling towards the precinct.

"Barry! You did this last time!" Ally's protests were in vain as she found herself starting to press back into Barry's chest as he ran.

Barry, unconsciously, took notice, and smiled softly at the feeling it sent through his whole being, before whooping with glee as they hurtled through traffic.

They stopped outside of the precinct, and Barry let Ally down onto her feet, barely dodging the swat she tried to catch his shoulder with.

"Bare, what did I tell you about grabbing me without warning?" Ally questioned, watching her friend in slight annoyance.

"Not to do it," Barry grinned at her apologetically, "But hey—" He added, "We're not late," he announced, making her snicker before she shook her head at him, muttering something along the lines of "for once…" as the pair headed for their lab.

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | | 5:50pm**

After Ally got home from work, she immediately slung her body onto the couch in the apartment after tossing her tote bag to the ground. Work had been worse than she thought it would, caused by two factors.

The first was that Ally had spent the majority of the work day debating on whether or not to admit how she spent her nights to Barry. She had eventually just left abruptly in order to needle Josh for his advice – which had been basically 'your choice but think about it'.

The other reason was the fact that Barry had been staring vacantly during work, seemingly thinking about Ally's own alter-ego and his date for the same evening. Barry didn't seem to really take notice, which only fueled Ally's turmoil.

* * *

Chelsea and Libby had got home and took a few moments to take in the sight of Ally who was laying on the couch, rotating between staring vacantly at the ceiling, muttering to herself in tongues and getting up and laying back down nervously. The pair of roommates shared a look before Libby stepped up behind the couch and half-shouted, "Alexa!"

The blonde launched into the air with a yelp, her head barely missing hitting the ceiling before she floated back down to land on her feet in front of the couch. The woman turned around to fix her adopted sister and roommate with glares.

The pair only laughed, before both walked around opposite ends of the couch to pull the other woman down to sit, as they sat down next to their friend, as her head dropped to land in her hands.

"Al?" Chelsea questioned, scooting closer to her best friend since her freshman year of college. "What's wrong?"

Ally shook her head, refusing to look up.

"Ally…" Libby whined, peering down at her sister's face. "Is this about Barry?" she questioned, and got a drawn out moan in return. "C'mon Al. talk to us." Libby pleaded, and Ally's head rose to face her.

"I can't do this Lib. I'm lying to him!" Ally groaned, "I need to tell him that I'm her, before he gets too attached!"

"Then tell him," Chelsea spoke, smiling gently at her friend.

"I can't!" Ally wailed. "If I tell him now, he'll never forgive me," She scoffed, as her eyes began to water, "I just got him back a month ago," She let a couple tears fall as she sniffled a little. "I can't lose him. And I will if I tell him because he will try to stop me from being Air, and I can't agree with that."

"For now, Al." Libby started, rubbing her sister's back slowly. "Focus on being Air, and doing what you want."

"When the time is right, you'll know." Chelsea nodded.

"You're right." Ally agreed. "He has to her it from me though." Ally reminded herself. "I can't let him find out from anyone or anything else." Ally muttered, barely loud enough for either other girl to hear.

"So." Chelsea began, nudging the youngest of their trio.

"We get to do your makeup and everything?" Libby sing-songed.

"Sure." Ally sighed.

* * *

Forty minutes, one black wig, two grey-hazel colored contacts, one contouring palette and a makeup sponge and a borrowed outfit later—

Ally was ready. Nervous and scared, but ready. She glanced at her reflection, surprised to see that the dark haired woman staring back at her did the same. Looking down at herself, she recognized the black pants from Chelsea's collection and the purple and silver top from Libby's younger years. The jacket was from her original Air ensemble.

Ally left the bathroom, and stepped out to face her friends, who clapped in admiration of their handiwork.

Ally gave them a tiny little bow before heading out, grabbing a dark tote that she had stowed her crime fighting stuff into. She gave Chelsea and Libby one last wave before taking off into the sky as they hugged each other to their sides in mock pride.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY PARK | | 9:15 pm**

Ally had picked up a few large pizzas for them to share, and was sitting on a swing in the park, holding the warm boxes and her tote on her lap as she resisted the urge to tap her foot impatiently.

Barry skidded to a stop in front of the woman, taking in the features of her face and trying to place them, before flinching at the glare on her face. "What?" He questioned, glancing down to make sure he was fully, ahem, appropriately clothed – which he was, in a pair of skinny jeans and his typical sweater and shirt combination.

"You're the fastest man alive—" Ally began, her voice deepened to Air's tone as she spoke, she had been practicing using the molecules in the air to disrupt her own voice. Barry grinned at her statement, "And you're late." Ally deadpanned, making Barry's grin fall slightly before he walked towards her, holding a hand out.

"C'mon." Barry spoke, prompting the woman, whom he did not recognize, to gather her stuff before she took a hold of his hand. He led Air towards the pond, where he had managed to set up a large blanket, two handfuls of pillows and some candles. He took a glance back and smiled as he caught the surprise in Air's eyes as she smiled.

"You were still late." Ally smirked, before smiling once more, as she set her stuff down, opening the top box to reveal to Barry his favorite – Peperoni, Olives and Jalapeno pizza as she told him, "I guess I can forgive you."

Barry held himself back from digging into their dinner as he eyeballed the woman who he knew nothing about, who seemed to know him intimately. He opened his mouth to voice this but was met with a slice of pizza being handed to him, the look that accompanied it plainly told him not to ask.

They ate silently, as Barry finished off a whole pie and Ally finished a quarter of a plain cheese pizza. Barry looked up from the now empty cardboard box to watch the woman finish her pizza, and found himself grinning as he noticed that she ate pizza like Ally. Barry shook his head, before smiling as Air looked at him curiously.

"It's different." Barry spoke, "I can actually see your expressions now." He explained, grinning grimly to himself. "I just don't get why you can't just tell me who you are, Air." Barry sighed, frustrated.

"I can't." Air's deep voice spoke deeply, before she glanced away to avoid Barry's questioning gaze.

"Why not." Barry demanded, the crack in his voice making Air flinch.

"I can't." Ally's voice slipped out of her throat before she could stop it, and she shut her eyes, praying to anybody that Barry wouldn't recognize it.

"Just tell –" Barry had started, only to be cut off by the sound of a beeping coming from Air's tote. Barry could only watch as his fellow crime fighter snatched it up instantly, answering the call easily.

"Cisco." Air greeted, her voice deep once more. She looked over to Barry who gave her a questioning look.

"Code 105." Cisco had shouted, Barry's ears able to pick up the sound.

"Isn't that a cat in a tree?" Air questioned bluntly, making Barry grin.

"Wait, wait no. I meant a code 115—"

Cisco was cut off as Barry took the phone from air, putting on speaker before asking, "City wide blackout?"

Air snickered, as on the other end there was an exasperated groan.

"I meant an 18—" Cisco began,

"Cisco." Air's deep voice started, stopping Cisco from continuing. "Just tell us what it is."

"Alright, alright, ruin my fun why don't you." Cisco grumbled, making Barry laugh as Air's eyebrow rose.

"Hey, you're the one cutting into my d—" Air's, and Barry's, face heated up before she coughed, "hanging out time with Red." She finished, as laughter echoed from Cisco's end. "Han." Air's voice stated threatingly, easily ceasing Cisco's peals of laughter, as Barry gave her a curious look.

"Robbery – Bates and Collins." Cisco got out, and Air and Barry took off into the public restrooms, before flying/running out of them in costume as they headed towards the crime scene.

"Code 211 by the way." Air snickered over the comms as she and Barry came towards the perpetrators.

* * *

**BATES & COLLINS | | 9:40 pm**

Air ducked underneath a man's kick as she lunged out to grab the bag on his shoulder, to pull him to the ground, as Barry danced around their cyclist with the gun before dropping the cases of bullets in front of the panicked biker.

Air looked up as she caught sound of a thud behind her, Barry had punched the third man who was laying on the floor with a knife clutched in his hand. "Not bad, Red." Air complimented, before she blew a gust of wind that knocked the cyclist and his bike over before he could jet away. She winked at the speedster, who grinned before taking off, taking the stolen cash back into the shop it had come out of.

Barry skidded to a stop before grinning at Air and offering, "Race you back."

Air laughed gleefully, as she took off into the night sky and she raced with the red streak all the way back to the park.

* * *

**CENTRAL CITY PARK | | 10:05 pm**

Ally landed softly in front of the blanket, keeping contact with the floor for a mere 2 minutes before yelping as a force, Barry— she knew—, barreled into her and sent both of them tumbling into the water.

Barry shook his head out, looking around the surprisingly deep pound for his partner, who was nowhere to be found. He turned around to the blanket only to be hit by a large wall of wind that sent him flying back into the water with a splash. Barry looked upwards in time to catch Air's bell-like laughter, and found himself smiling before he got out of the water, shaking himself out, before feeling burst of warm air hit his clothes as he found his clothes getting drier.

Ally grinned at Barry as she landed, having already made sure the wig was secure and that the contour makeup Libby and Chelsea and put on her stayed put.

Barry and Air changed out of their suits before going back to sit on the blanket, Barry making quick work of another pizza as Air watched him in amusement.

"Wha—" Barry asked, a slice of pizza hanging mid bite before he finished it, before looking to the woman, who had been watching him.

"Nothing, nothing." Air explained hurriedly, before blanching at his intrigued look, "You remind me of an old friend of mine, that's all." Ally grinned, grimacing inwardly at the fact that he was the same man as her 'old friend'.

Barry nodded slowly, as Harrison's words about trying to get to know her came back to him. "Can you tell me about yourself?" He spoke, looking up when she was silent to catch the frozen look she wore. "You know everything about me, don't you?" Barry explained, "You knew my favorite pizza toppings without having to ask, and about the whole crush on my best friend thing. I just want to get to know you." Barry finished, watching her carefully. "21 questions?" He offered, watching her shake her head before he added, "If you want to skip a question you can."

Ally contemplated this, before nodding in agreement.

"How'd you get your abilities?" Was Barry's first question, making Ally give him a hard look. Barry gave her a prompting look and Air began to tell him,

"I was caught in the storm, got hit by the accelerator's energy wave and a strike of lightning." Air began, making Barry try to get her to give him more details. "That's all you get Allen." Air claimed, making him pout at her. "You're a CSI." Air deadpanned, making Barry grin.

"Alright alright, next quest—"

Barry was cut off as Air smirked before saying, "What I don't get to ask any of my own?" She questioned.

"You just did." Barry laughed to himself, in spite of the now glowering vigilante, who was slowly allowing her shoulders to quake as she laughed.

"Alright." Air agreed.

"Hmmmmm… How old are you?" Barry asked, dodging a swat from the woman as she laughed harder.

"Did no one ever teach you not to ask a Lady her age?" Air laughed, wiping at her eyes, as Barry glared in amusement at her. Ally let her laughter subside before she answered, "I'm in my 20's."

"Is your hair actually black?" Barry asked next,

"Maybe, maybe not," Air grinned.

"Eyes actually Hazel?" Barry questioned.

Air merely lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Where were you born?"

"In a hospital." Air deadpanned, Barry's glare only making her grin grow, before she hummed, "CSI."

"Do you run around in spandex with any other guy?" Barry questioned, as Air lifted a forgotten glass of whatever they had been drinking up to her lips. He grinned, as she spat most of a sip.

"No." Air coughed.

"Favorite thing to drink?" Barry asked, making Ally shake her head at him. "Seriously, you can't answer that?" He questioned.

"Sorry." Air's smile was sad, and Barry noticed it this time.

"It's alright." Barry offered, before he scooted himself to her side of the blanket, laying his head down onto the blanket as he looked up to the stars. "Favorite constellation?" Barry asked.

"The dove." Air responded, laying back before looking at her companion's blank face, before taking his hand in hers and using their hands to trace the shape where it had appeared.

"Why?" Barry questioned.

"My mother used to take me outside to watch the stars, that one was the first she ever showed to me." Air explained, her tongue loosened slightly, as Barry's mouth fell slightly in surprise at the fact she was sharing a detail. "She passed away a long time ago." Air left their hands intertwined as she and Barry turned to face each other.

"I'm sorry." Barry apologized.

"It's not your fault." Air admonished, before rolling onto her back and looking up at the four bright stars instead. "Besides, I wouldn't be here otherwise." She shared, smiling despite the buildup of tears behind her eyes, and Barry's eyes softened at the detail.

They laid there for a while, longer, pointing out and up at shapes in the sky, their hands still held together like a tethering point as Barry observed the woman who was his partner as she laughed at his stories and his jokes, albeit politely.

It wasn't until after one in the morning that they got up, heading their separate ways after a long night of spending time together.

* * *

**ALLY'S APARTMENT | November 5** **th** **, 2014 | 1:55 am**

As soon as Ally shut the balcony's door behind her she regretted it. Libby and Chelsea came rushing out, pleading and begging for details which Ally held in, save for one.

It had been fun.

Ally had had one of the best nights of her life. Barry had been interested in her, but at the same time she was conflicted by the fact that Air wasn't herself. She didn't want to talk the night over with anybody. Instead she shut herself into her room, before curling up on the bed and groaning at the thought of what would happen if Barry found out what both she and 'Air' had been hiding from him.

Ally allowed herself to get ready for bed before she once more sank into the bed, cursing herself for being, and falling in love with her longtime best friend, as well as for not being strong enough to tell him her feelings or her new identity as Air. She already knew that everything would soon blow up in her face, in the most literal of ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'm so sorry it took so long for this update, I honestly did not want to go over a month with ought and update. I will probably be going back and combing through past chapters before I dig back into the show itself to write the next chapter. I think I have everything planned out, and I hope you all will like how I see this story going from here out.  
> Thanks for Reading! Please let me know what you think, and or if I left any silly errors in here
> 
> Hey, somebody is reading this! Yay! Footnote for the WIN!  
> Sorry, I'm even sillier when it gets late. :3  
> You're awesome, Love you.  
> Thanks for Reading!


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